Pattern Recognition Control Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gambone, Elisabeth

2016-01-01

Spacecraft control algorithms must know the expected spacecraft response to any command to the available control effectors, such as reaction thrusters or torque devices. Spacecraft control system design approaches have traditionally relied on the estimated vehicle mass properties to determine the desired force and moment, as well as knowledge of the effector performance to efficiently control the spacecraft. A pattern recognition approach can be used to investigate the relationship between the control effector commands and the spacecraft responses. Instead of supplying the approximated vehicle properties and the effector performance characteristics, a database of information relating the effector commands and the desired vehicle response can be used for closed-loop control. A Monte Carlo simulation data set of the spacecraft dynamic response to effector commands can be analyzed to establish the influence a command has on the behavior of the spacecraft. A tool developed at NASA Johnson Space Center (Ref. 1) to analyze flight dynamics Monte Carlo data sets through pattern recognition methods can be used to perform this analysis. Once a comprehensive data set relating spacecraft responses with commands is established, it can be used in place of traditional control laws and gains set. This pattern recognition approach can be compared with traditional control algorithms to determine the potential benefits and uses.

Pattern Recognition Control Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gambone, Elisabeth A.

2018-01-01

Spacecraft control algorithms must know the expected vehicle response to any command to the available control effectors, such as reaction thrusters or torque devices. Spacecraft control system design approaches have traditionally relied on the estimated vehicle mass properties to determine the desired force and moment, as well as knowledge of the effector performance to efficiently control the spacecraft. A pattern recognition approach was used to investigate the relationship between the control effector commands and spacecraft responses. Instead of supplying the approximated vehicle properties and the thruster performance characteristics, a database of information relating the thruster ring commands and the desired vehicle response was used for closed-loop control. A Monte Carlo simulation data set of the spacecraft dynamic response to effector commands was analyzed to establish the influence a command has on the behavior of the spacecraft. A tool developed at NASA Johnson Space Center to analyze flight dynamics Monte Carlo data sets through pattern recognition methods was used to perform this analysis. Once a comprehensive data set relating spacecraft responses with commands was established, it was used in place of traditional control methods and gains set. This pattern recognition approach was compared with traditional control algorithms to determine the potential benefits and uses.

Apollo Spacecraft 020 Command Module readied for mating with Service Module

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-12-06

S68-17301 (6 Dec. 1967) --- Apollo Spacecraft 020 Command Module is hoisted into position for mating with Service Module in the Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. Spacecraft 020 will be flown on the Apollo 6 (Spacecraft 020/Saturn 502) unmanned, Earth-orbital space mission.

Command and data handling for Atmosphere Explorer satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuldner, W. V.

1974-01-01

The command and data-handling subsystem of the Atmosphere Explorer satellite provides the necessary controls for the instrumentation and telemetry, and also controls the satellite attitude and trajectory. The subsystem executes all command information within the spacecraft, either in real time (as received over the S-band command transmission link) or remote from the command site (as required by the orbit operations schedule). Power consumption in the spacecraft is optimized by suitable application and removal of power to various instruments; additional functions include control of magnetic torquers and of the orbit-adjust propulsion subsystem. Telemetry data from instruments and the spacecraft equipment are formatted into a single serial bit stream. Attention is given to command types, command formats, decoder operation, and command processing functions.

Proven and Robust Ground Support Systems - GSFC Success and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pfarr, Barbara; Donohue, John; Lui, Ben; Greer, Greg; Green, Tom

2008-01-01

Over the past fifteen years, Goddard Space Flight Center has developed several successful science missions in-house: the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE), the Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) [1], and the Space Technology 5 (ST-5)[2] missions, several Small Explorers, and several balloon missions. Currently in development are the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) [3] and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)[4]. What is not well known is that these missions have been supported during spacecraft and/or instrument integration and test, flight software development, and mission operations by two in house satellite Telemetry and Command (T & C) Systems, the Integrated Test and Operations System (ITOS) and the Advanced Spacecraft Integration and System Test (ASIST). The advantages of an in-house satellite Telemetry and Command system are primarily in the flexibility of management and maintenance - the developers are considered a part of the mission team, get involved early in the development process of the spacecraft and mission operations-control center, and provide on-site, on-call support that goes beyond Help Desk and simple software fixes. On the other hand, care must be taken to ensure that the system remains generic enough for cost effective re-use from one mission to the next. The software is designed such that many features are user-configurable. Where user-configurable options were impractical, features were designed so as to be easy for the development team to modify. Adding support for a new ground message header, for example, is a one-day effort because of the software framework on which that code rests. This paper will discuss the many features of the Goddard satellite Telemetry and Command systems that have contributed to the success of the missions listed above. These features include flexible user interfaces, distributed parallel commanding and telemetry decommutation, a procedure language, the interfaces and tools needed for a high degree of automation, and instantly accessible archives of spacecraft telemetry. It will discuss some of the problems overcome during development, including secure commanding over networks or the Internet, constellation support for the three satellites that comprise the ST-5 mission, and geographically distributed telemetry end users.

Astronaut John Young ingresses Apollo spacecraft command module in training

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-07-05

S68-40875 (5 July 1968) --- Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 7 backup command module pilot, ingresses Apollo Spacecraft 101 Command Module during simulated altitude runs at the Kennedy Space Center's Pad 34.

Plan Execution Interchange Language (PLEXIL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estlin, Tara; Jonsson, Ari; Pasareanu, Corina; Simmons, Reid; Tso, Kam; Verma, Vandi

2006-01-01

Plan execution is a cornerstone of spacecraft operations, irrespective of whether the plans to be executed are generated on board the spacecraft or on the ground. Plan execution frameworks vary greatly, due to both different capabilities of the execution systems, and relations to associated decision-making frameworks. The latter dependency has made the reuse of execution and planning frameworks more difficult, and has all but precluded information sharing between different execution and decision-making systems. As a step in the direction of addressing some of these issues, a general plan execution language, called the Plan Execution Interchange Language (PLEXIL), is being developed. PLEXIL is capable of expressing concepts used by many high-level automated planners and hence provides an interface to multiple planners. PLEXIL includes a domain description that specifies command types, expansions, constraints, etc., as well as feedback to the higher-level decision-making capabilities. This document describes the grammar and semantics of PLEXIL. It includes a graphical depiction of this grammar and illustrative rover scenarios. It also outlines ongoing work on implementing a universal execution system, based on PLEXIL, using state-of-the-art rover functional interfaces and planners as test cases.

Software Development for Remote Control and Firing Room Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zambrano Pena, Jessica

2014-01-01

The Launch Control System (LCS) developed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) will be used to launch future spacecraft. Two of the many components of this system are the Application Control Language (ACL) and remote displays. ACL is a high level domain specific language that is used to write remote control applications for LCS. Remote displays are graphical user interfaces (GUIs) developed to display vehicle and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) data, they also provide the ability to send commands to control GSE and the vehicle. The remote displays and the control applications have many facets and this internship experience dealt with several of them.

Rapid Diagnostics of Onboard Sequences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starbird, Thomas W.; Morris, John R.; Shams, Khawaja S.; Maimone, Mark W.

2012-01-01

Keeping track of sequences onboard a spacecraft is challenging. When reviewing Event Verification Records (EVRs) of sequence executions on the Mars Exploration Rover (MER), operators often found themselves wondering which version of a named sequence the EVR corresponded to. The lack of this information drastically impacts the operators diagnostic capabilities as well as their situational awareness with respect to the commands the spacecraft has executed, since the EVRs do not provide argument values or explanatory comments. Having this information immediately available can be instrumental in diagnosing critical events and can significantly enhance the overall safety of the spacecraft. This software provides auditing capability that can eliminate that uncertainty while diagnosing critical conditions. Furthermore, the Restful interface provides a simple way for sequencing tools to automatically retrieve binary compiled sequence SCMFs (Space Command Message Files) on demand. It also enables developers to change the underlying database, while maintaining the same interface to the existing applications. The logging capabilities are also beneficial to operators when they are trying to recall how they solved a similar problem many days ago: this software enables automatic recovery of SCMF and RML (Robot Markup Language) sequence files directly from the command EVRs, eliminating the need for people to find and validate the corresponding sequences. To address the lack of auditing capability for sequences onboard a spacecraft during earlier missions, extensive logging support was added on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) sequencing server. This server is responsible for generating all MSL binary SCMFs from RML input sequences. The sequencing server logs every SCMF it generates into a MySQL database, as well as the high-level RML file and dictionary name inputs used to create the SCMF. The SCMF is then indexed by a hash value that is automatically included in all command EVRs by the onboard flight software. Second, both the binary SCMF result and the RML input file can be retrieved simply by specifying the hash to a Restful web interface. This interface enables command line tools as well as large sophisticated programs to download the SCMF and RMLs on-demand from the database, enabling a vast array of tools to be built on top of it. One such command line tool can retrieve and display RML files, or annotate a list of EVRs by interleaving them with the original sequence commands. This software has been integrated with the MSL sequencing pipeline where it will serve sequences useful in diagnostics, debugging, and situational awareness throughout the mission.

Tone-Based Command of Deep Space Probes using Ground Antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bokulic, Robert S.; Jensen, J. Robert

2008-01-01

A document discusses a technique for enabling the reception of spacecraft commands at received signal levels as much as three orders of magnitude below those of current deep space systems. Tone-based commanding deals with the reception of commands that are sent in the form of precise frequency offsets using an open-loop receiver. The key elements of this technique are an ultrastable oscillator and open-loop receiver onboard the spacecraft, both of which are part of the existing New Horizons (Pluto flyby) communications system design. This enables possible flight experimentation for tone-based commanding during the long cruise of the spacecraft to Pluto. In this technique, it is also necessary to accurately remove Doppler shift from the uplink signal presented to the spacecraft. A signal processor in the spacecraft performs a discrete Fourier transform on the received signal to determine the frequency of the received signal. Due to the long-term drift in the oscillators and orbit prediction model, the system is likely to be implemented differentially, where changes in the uplink frequency convey the command information.

The development and validation of command schedules for SeaWiFS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, Robert H.; Gregg, Watson W.; Patt, Frederick S.

1994-11-01

An automated method for developing and assessing spacecraft and instrument command schedules is presented for the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) project. SeaWiFS is to be carried on the polar-orbiting SeaStar satellite in 1995. The primary goal of the SeaWiFS mission is to provide global ocean chlorophyll concentrations every four days by employing onboard recorders and a twice-a-day data downlink schedule. Global Area Coverage (GAC) data with about 4.5 km resolution will be used to produce the global coverage. Higher resolution (1.1 km resolution) Local Area Coverage (LAC) data will also be recorded to calibrate the sensor. In addition, LAC will be continuously transmitted from the satellite and received by High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT) stations. The methods used to generate commands for SeaWiFS employ numerous hierarchical checks as a means of maximizing coverage of the Earth's surface and fulfilling the LAC data requirements. The software code is modularized and written in Fortran with constructs to mirror the pre-defined mission rules. The overall method is specifically developed for low orbit Earth-observing satellites with finite onboard recording capabilities and regularly scheduled data downlinks. Two software packages using the Interactive Data Language (IDL) for graphically displaying and verifying the resultant command decisions are presented. Displays can be generated which show portions of the Earth viewed by the sensor and spacecraft sub-orbital locations during onboard calibration activities. An IDL-based interactive method of selecting and testing LAC targets and calibration activities for command generation is also discussed.

Apollo Spacecraft 012 Command/Service Module being moved to Operations bldg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

Transfer of Apollo Spacecraft 012 Command/Service Module for mating to the Saturn Lunar Module Adapter No. 05 in the Manned Spacecraft Operations bldg. S/C 012 will be flown on the Apollo/Saturn 204 mission.

Use of Spacecraft Command Language for Advanced Command and Control Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mims, Tikiela L.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the use of SCL in building and monitoring command and control applications in order to determine its fitness for space operations. Approximately 24,325 lines of PCG2 code was converted to SCL yielding a 90% reduction in the number of lines of code as many of the functions and scripts utilized in SCL could be ported and reused. Automated standalone testing, simulating the actual production environment, was performed in order to generalize and gauge the relative time it takes for SCL to update and write a given display. The use of SCL rules, functions, and scripts allowed the creation of several test cases permitting the detection of the amount of time it takes update a given set of measurements given the change in a globally existing CUI or CUI. It took the SCL system an average 926.09 ticks to update the entire display of 323 measurements.

KSC - APOLLO-SOYUZ TEST PROJECT (ASTP) COMMAND SERVICE MODULE (CSM) - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1974-09-08

S74-32049 (8 Sept. 1974) --- The Apollo Command Module for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission goes through receiving, inspection and checkout procedures in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building at the Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft had just arrived by air from the Rockwell International plant at Downey, California. The Apollo spacecraft (Command Module, Service Module and Docking Module), with astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, Vance D. Brand and Donald K. Slayton aboard, will dock in Earth orbit with a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft during the joint U.S.-USSR ASTP flight scheduled for July 1975. The Soviet and American crews will visit one another?s spacecraft.

APOLLO-SATURN (A/S)-204 - SPACECRAFT (S/C)- 012 COMMAND SERVICE MODULE (CSM) - A/S MATING - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-01-03

S67-15704 (3 Jan. 1967) --- Transfer of Apollo Spacecraft 012 Command/Service Module (CSM) for mating with the Saturn Lunar Module (LM) Adapter No.05 in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. Spacecraft 012 will be flown on the Apollo/Saturn 1 (204) mission. Photo credit: NASA

Project Report: Automatic Sequence Processor Software Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benjamin, Brandon

2011-01-01

The Mission Planning and Sequencing (MPS) element of Multi-Mission Ground System and Services (MGSS) provides space missions with multi-purpose software to plan spacecraft activities, sequence spacecraft commands, and then integrate these products and execute them on spacecraft. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is currently is flying many missions. The processes for building, integrating, and testing the multi-mission uplink software need to be improved to meet the needs of the missions and the operations teams that command the spacecraft. The Multi-Mission Sequencing Team is responsible for collecting and processing the observations, experiments and engineering activities that are to be performed on a selected spacecraft. The collection of these activities is called a sequence and ultimately a sequence becomes a sequence of spacecraft commands. The operations teams check the sequence to make sure that no constraints are violated. The workflow process involves sending a program start command, which activates the Automatic Sequence Processor (ASP). The ASP is currently a file-based system that is comprised of scripts written in perl, c-shell and awk. Once this start process is complete, the system checks for errors and aborts if there are any; otherwise the system converts the commands to binary, and then sends the resultant information to be radiated to the spacecraft.

Automated Diagnosis and Control of Complex Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurien, James; Plaunt, Christian; Cannon, Howard; Shirley, Mark; Taylor, Will; Nayak, P.; Hudson, Benoit; Bachmann, Andrew; Brownston, Lee; Hayden, Sandra;

Apollo Spacecraft 012 Command/Service Module being moved to Operations bldg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

Apollo Spacecraft 012 Command/Service Module is moved from H-134 to east stokes for mating to the Saturn Lunar Module Adapter No. 05 in the Manned Spacecraft Operations bldg. S/C 012 will be flown on the Apollo/Saturn 204 mission.

Autonomous Commanding of the WIRE Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prior, Mike; Walyus, Keith; Saylor, Rick

1999-01-01

This paper presents the end-to-end design architecture for an autonomous commanding capability to be used on the Wide Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) mission for the uplink of command loads during unattended station contacts. The WIRE mission is the fifth and final mission of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Small Explorer (SMEX) series to be launched in March of 1999. Its primary mission is the targeting of deep space fields using an ultra-cooled infrared telescope. Due to its mission design WIRE command loads are large (approximately 40 Kbytes per 24 hours) and must be performed daily. To reduce the cost of mission operations support that would be required in order to uplink command loads, the WIRE Flight Operations Team has implemented an autonomous command loading capability. This capability allows completely unattended operations over a typical two- day weekend period. The key factors driving design and implementation of this capability were: 1) Integration with already existing ground system autonomous capabilities and systems, 2) The desire to evolve autonomous operations capabilities based upon previous SMEX operations experience 3) Integration with ground station operations - both autonomous and man-tended, 4) Low cost and quick implementation, and 5) End-to-end system robustness. A trade-off study was performed to examine these factors in light of the low-cost, higher-risk SMEX mission philosophy. The study concluded that a STOL (Spacecraft Test and Operations Language) based script, highly integrated with other scripts used to perform autonomous operations, was best suited given the budget and goals of the mission. Each of these factors is discussed to provide an overview of the autonomous operations capabilities implemented for the mission. The capabilities implemented on the WIRE mission are an example of a low-cost, robust, and efficient method for autonomous command loading when implemented with other autonomous features of the ground system. They can be used as a design and implementation template by other small satellite missions interested in evolving toward autonomous and lower cost operations.

Autonomy Architectures for a Constellation of Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrett, Anthony

2000-01-01

This paper describes three autonomy architectures for a system that continuously plans to control a fleet of spacecraft using collective mission goals instead of goals of command sequences for each spacecraft. A fleet of self-commanding spacecraft would autonomously coordinate itself to satisfy high level science and engineering goals in a changing partially-understood environment-making feasible the operation of tens of even a hundred spacecraft (such as for interferometer or magnetospheric constellation missions).

SCL: An off-the-shelf system for spacecraft control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buckley, Brian; Vangaasbeck, James

1994-11-01

In this age of shrinking military, civil, and commercial space budgets, an off-the-shelf solution is needed to provide a multimission approach to spacecraft control. A standard operational interface which can be applied to multiple spacecraft allows a common approach to ground and space operations. A trend for many space programs has been to reduce operational staff by applying autonomy to the spacecraft and to the ground stations. The Spacecraft Command Language (SCL) system developed by Interface and Control Systems, Inc. (ICS) provides an off-the-shelf solution for spacecraft operations. The SCL system is designed to provide a hyper-scripting interface which remains standard from program to program. The spacecraft and ground station hardware specifics are isolated to provide the maximum amount of portability from system to system. Uplink and downlink interfaces are also isolated to allow the system to perform independent of the communications protocols chosen. The SCL system can be used for both the ground stations and the spacecraft, or as a value added package for existing ground station environments. The SCL system provides an expanded stored commanding capability as well as a rule-based expert system on-board. The expert system allows reactive control on-board the spacecraft for functions such as electrical power systems (EPS), thermal control, etc. which have traditionally been performed on the ground. The SCL rule and scripting capability share a common syntax allowing control of scripts from rules and rules from scripts. Rather than telemeter over sampled data to the ground, the SCL system maintains a database on-board which is available for interrogation by the scripts and rules. The SCL knowledge base is constructed on the ground and uploaded to the spacecraft. The SCL system follows an open-systems approach allowing other tasks to communicate with SCL on the ground and in space. The SCL system was used on the Clementine program (launched January 25, 1994) and is required to have bidirectional communications with the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms which were written as another task. Sequencing of the spacecraft maneuvers are handled by SCL, but the low-level thruster pulse commands are handled by the GNC software. Attitude information is reported back as telemetry, allowing the SCL expert system to inference on the changing data. The Clementine SCL flight software was largely reused from another Naval Center for Space Technology (NCST) satellite program.

SCL: An off-the-shelf system for spacecraft control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buckley, Brian; Vangaasbeck, James

1994-01-01

In this age of shrinking military, civil, and commercial space budgets, an off-the-shelf solution is needed to provide a multimission approach to spacecraft control. A standard operational interface which can be applied to multiple spacecraft allows a common approach to ground and space operations. A trend for many space programs has been to reduce operational staff by applying autonomy to the spacecraft and to the ground stations. The Spacecraft Command Language (SCL) system developed by Interface and Control Systems, Inc. (ICS) provides an off-the-shelf solution for spacecraft operations. The SCL system is designed to provide a hyper-scripting interface which remains standard from program to program. The spacecraft and ground station hardware specifics are isolated to provide the maximum amount of portability from system to system. Uplink and downlink interfaces are also isolated to allow the system to perform independent of the communications protocols chosen. The SCL system can be used for both the ground stations and the spacecraft, or as a value added package for existing ground station environments. The SCL system provides an expanded stored commanding capability as well as a rule-based expert system on-board. The expert system allows reactive control on-board the spacecraft for functions such as electrical power systems (EPS), thermal control, etc. which have traditionally been performed on the ground. The SCL rule and scripting capability share a common syntax allowing control of scripts from rules and rules from scripts. Rather than telemeter over sampled data to the ground, the SCL system maintains a database on-board which is available for interrogation by the scripts and rules. The SCL knowledge base is constructed on the ground and uploaded to the spacecraft. The SCL system follows an open-systems approach allowing other tasks to communicate with SCL on the ground and in space. The SCL system was used on the Clementine program (launched January 25, 1994) and is required to have bidirectional communications with the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms which were written as another task. Sequencing of the spacecraft maneuvers are handled by SCL, but the low-level thruster pulse commands are handled by the GNC software. Attitude information is reported back as telemetry, allowing the SCL expert system to inference on the changing data. The Clementine SCL flight software was largely reused from another Naval Center for Space Technology (NCST) satellite program. This paper details the SCL architecture and how an off-the-shelf solution makes sense for multimission spacecraft programs. The Clementine mission will be used as a case study in the application of the SCL to a 'fast track' program. The benefits of such a system in a 'better, cheaper, faster' climate will be discussed.

TOPEX NASA Altimeter Operations Handbook, September 1992. Volume 6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hancock, David W., III; Hayne, George S.; Purdy, Craig L.; Bull, James B.; Brooks, Ronald L.

2003-01-01

This operations handbook identifies the commands for the NASA radar altimeter for the TOPEX/Poseidon spacecraft, defines the functions of these commands, and provides supplemental reference material for use by the altimeter operations personnel. The main emphasis of this document is placed on command types, command definitions, command sequences, and operational constraints. Additional document sections describe uploadable altimeter operating parameters, the telemetry stream data contents (for both the science and the engineering data), the Missions Operations System displays, and the spacecraft and altimeter health monitors.

Time-Tag Generation Script

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Dan E.

2010-01-01

Time-Tag Generation Script (TTaGS) is an application program, written in the AWK scripting language, for generating commands for aiming one Ku-band antenna and two S-band antennas for communicating with spacecraft. TTaGS saves between 2 and 4 person-hours per every 24 hours by automating the repetitious process of building between 150 and 180 antenna-control commands. TTaGS reads a text database of communication satellite schedules and a text database of satellite rise and set times and cross-references items in the two databases. It then compares the scheduled start and stop with the geometric rise and set to compute the times to execute antenna control commands. While so doing, TTaGS determines whether to generate commands for guidance, navigation, and control computers to tell them which satellites to track. To help prevent Ku-band irradiation of the Earth, TTaGS accepts input from the user about horizon tolerance and accordingly restricts activation and effects deactivation of the transmitter. TTaGS can be modified easily to enable tracking of additional satellites and for such other tasks as reading Sun-rise/set tables to generate commands to point the solar photovoltaic arrays of the International Space Station at the Sun.

COMMAND MODULE (C/M) - SPACECRAFT (S/C) 012 C/M - APOLLO/SATURN (A/S) 204 PREPARATIONS - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-01-03

S67-15717 (1967) --- Apollo Spacecraft 012 Command/Service Module is moved from H-134 to east stokes for mating to the Saturn Lunar Module Adapter No. 05 in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building. S/C 012 will be flown on the Apollo/Saturn 204 mission.

The Mission Operations Planning Assistant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuetzle, James G.

1987-01-01

The Mission Operations Planning Assistant (MOPA) is a knowledge-based system developed to support the planning and scheduling of instrument activities on the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS). The MOPA system represents and maintains instrument plans at two levels of abstraction in order to keep plans comprehensible to both UARS Principal Investigators and Command Management personnel. The hierarchical representation of plans also allows MOPA to automatically create detailed instrument activity plans from which spacecraft command loads may be generated. The MOPA system was developed on a Symbolics 3640 computer using the ZetaLisp and ART languages. MOPA's features include a textual and graphical interface for plan inspection and modification, recognition of instrument operational constraint violations during the planning process, and consistency maintenance between the different planning levels. This paper describes the current MOPA system.

The mission operations planning assistant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuetzle, James G.

1987-01-01

The Mission Operations Planning Assistant (MOPA) is a knowledge-based system developed to support the planning and scheduling of instrument activities on the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS). The MOPA system represents and maintains instrument plans at two levels of abstraction in order to keep plans comprehensible to both UARS Prinicpal Investigators and Command Management personnel. The hierarchical representation of plans also allows MOPA to automatically create detailed instrument activity plans from which spacecraft command loads may be generated. The MOPA system was developed on a Symbolics 3640 computer using the ZETALISP and ART languages. MOPA's features include a textual and graphical interface for plan inspection and modification, recognition of instrument operational constraint violations during the planning process, and consistency maintenance between the different planning levels. This paper describes the current MOPA system.

WMAP C&DH Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cudmore, Alan; Leath, Tim; Ferrer, Art; Miller, Todd; Walters, Mark; Savadkin, Bruce; Wu, Ji-Wei; Slegel, Steve; Stagmer, Emory

2007-01-01

The command-and-data-handling (C&DH) software of the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) spacecraft functions as the sole interface between (1) the spacecraft and its instrument subsystem and (2) ground operations equipment. This software includes a command-decoding and -distribution system, a telemetry/data-handling system, and a data-storage-and-playback system. This software performs onboard processing of attitude sensor data and generates commands for attitude-control actuators in a closed-loop fashion. It also processes stored commands and monitors health and safety functions for the spacecraft and its instrument subsystems. The basic functionality of this software is the same of that of the older C&DH software of the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) spacecraft, the main difference being the addition of the attitude-control functionality. Previously, the C&DH and attitude-control computations were performed by different processors because a single RXTE processor did not have enough processing power. The WMAP spacecraft includes a more-powerful processor capable of performing both computations.

Gemini 3 prime crew egress throught command pilot's hatch during training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1965-01-01

Both members of the Gemini-Titan 3 prime crew egress through the left, or command pilot's hatch, into the Gulf of Mexico during specialized training in egress from the Gemini spacecraft. Astronaut Virgil I. Grissom, the command pilot, has already climbed into a raft, as Astronaut John W. Young, the pilot, egresses from the spacecraft.

SPACECRAFT (S/C)-012 - COMMAND MODULE (CM) - HEAT SHIELD INSTALLATION

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-04-18

S66-41851 (1966) --- High angle view of Spacecraft 012 Command Module, looking toward -Z axis, during preparation for installation of the crew compartment heat shield, showing mechanics working on aft bay.

Magellan Project: Evolving enhanced operations efficiency to maximize science value

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheuvront, Allan R.; Neuman, James C.; Mckinney, J. Franklin

1994-01-01

Magellan has been one of NASA's most successful spacecraft, returning more science data than all planetary spacecraft combined. The Magellan Spacecraft Team (SCT) has maximized the science return with innovative operational techniques to overcome anomalies and to perform activities for which the spacecraft was not designed. Commanding the spacecraft was originally time consuming because the standard development process was envisioned as manual tasks. The Program understood that reducing mission operations costs were essential for an extended mission. Management created an environment which encouraged automation of routine tasks, allowing staff reduction while maximizing the science data returned. Data analysis and trending, command preparation, and command reviews are some of the tasks that were automated. The SCT has accommodated personnel reductions by improving operations efficiency while returning the maximum science data possible.

The Galileo Orbiter - Command and telemetry subsystems on their way to Jupiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, James K.

1990-09-01

An overview is given of the Galileo command and telemetry subsystems, which exemplify the rigid time-synchronized systems required by TDM (time division multiplexing). The spacecraft clock is examined, along with some of the rationale for the development of the clock structure and timing to give a sense of the design imperatives for rigidly synchronized systems. Additional subjects include the structure of the science and engineering frames, emphasizing the subcommutated structure of the engineering frame and its relationship to the spacecraft clock; ground processing for and basic uses of the telemetry; the various message types used to transmit commands to the spacecraft; and the generation processes for the command message types.

The Deep Space Network: A Radio Communications Instrument for Deep Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Renzetti, N. A.; Stelzried, C. T.; Noreen, G. K.; Slobin, S. D.; Petty, S. M.; Trowbridge, D. L.; Donnelly, H.; Kinman, P. W.; Armstrong, J. W.; Burow, N. A.

1983-01-01

The primary purpose of the Deep Space Network (DSN) is to serve as a communications instrument for deep space exploration, providing communications between the spacecraft and the ground facilities. The uplink communications channel provides instructions or commands to the spacecraft. The downlink communications channel provides command verification and spacecraft engineering and science instrument payload data.

Survey of Command Execution Systems for NASA Spacecraft and Robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verma, Vandi; Jonsson, Ari; Simmons, Reid; Estlin, Tara; Levinson, Rich

2005-01-01

NASA spacecraft and robots operate at long distances from Earth Command sequences generated manually, or by automated planners on Earth, must eventually be executed autonomously onboard the spacecraft or robot. Software systems that execute commands onboard are known variously as execution systems, virtual machines, or sequence engines. Every robotic system requires some sort of execution system, but the level of autonomy and type of control they are designed for varies greatly. This paper presents a survey of execution systems with a focus on systems relevant to NASA missions.

Managing the Risk of Command File Errors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meshkat, Leila; Bryant, Larry W.

2013-01-01

Command File Error (CFE), as defined by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's (JPL) Mission Operations Assurance (MOA) is, regardless of the consequence on the spacecraft, either: an error in a command file sent to the spacecraft, an error in the process for developing and delivering a command file to the spacecraft, or the omission of a command file that should have been sent to the spacecraft. The risk consequence of a CFE can be mission ending and thus a concern to space exploration projects during their mission operations. A CFE during space mission operations is often the symptom of some kind of imbalance or inadequacy within the system that comprises the hardware & software used for command generation and the human experts involved in this endeavour. As we move into an era of enhanced collaboration with other NASA centers and commercial partners, these systems become more and more complex and hence it is all the more important to formally model and analyze CFEs in order to manage the risk of CFEs. Here we will provide a summary of the ongoing efforts at JPL in this area and also explain some more recent developments in the area of developing quantitative models for the purpose of managing CFE's.

Optimal Planning and Problem-Solving

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clemet, Bradley; Schaffer, Steven; Rabideau, Gregg

2008-01-01

CTAEMS MDP Optimal Planner is a problem-solving software designed to command a single spacecraft/rover, or a team of spacecraft/rovers, to perform the best action possible at all times according to an abstract model of the spacecraft/rover and its environment. It also may be useful in solving logistical problems encountered in commercial applications such as shipping and manufacturing. The planner reasons around uncertainty according to specified probabilities of outcomes using a plan hierarchy to avoid exploring certain kinds of suboptimal actions. Also, planned actions are calculated as the state-action space is expanded, rather than afterward, to reduce by an order of magnitude the processing time and memory used. The software solves planning problems with actions that can execute concurrently, that have uncertain duration and quality, and that have functional dependencies on others that affect quality. These problems are modeled in a hierarchical planning language called C_TAEMS, a derivative of the TAEMS language for specifying domains for the DARPA Coordinators program. In realistic environments, actions often have uncertain outcomes and can have complex relationships with other tasks. The planner approaches problems by considering all possible actions that may be taken from any state reachable from a given, initial state, and from within the constraints of a given task hierarchy that specifies what tasks may be performed by which team member.

ULSGEN (Uplink Summary Generator)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Y.-F.; Schrock, M.; Reeve, T.; Nguyen, K.; Smith, B.

2014-01-01

Uplink is an important part of spacecraft operations. Ensuring the accuracy of uplink content is essential to mission success. Before commands are radiated to the spacecraft, the command and sequence must be reviewed and verified by various teams. In most cases, this process requires collecting the command data, reviewing the data during a command conference meeting, and providing physical signatures by designated members of various teams to signify approval of the data. If commands or sequences are disapproved for some reason, the whole process must be restarted. Recording data and decision history is important for traceability reasons. Given that many steps and people are involved in this process, an easily accessible software tool for managing the process is vital to reducing human error which could result in uplinking incorrect data to the spacecraft. An uplink summary generator called ULSGEN was developed to assist this uplink content approval process. ULSGEN generates a web-based summary of uplink file content and provides an online review process. Spacecraft operations personnel view this summary as a final check before actual radiation of the uplink data. .

Exact nonlinear command generation and tracking for robot manipulators and spacecraft slewing maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dywer, T. A. W., III; Lee, G. K. F.

1984-01-01

In connection with the current interest in agile spacecraft maneuvers, it has become necessary to consider the nonlinear coupling effects of multiaxial rotation in the treatment of command generation and tracking problems. Multiaxial maneuvers will be required in military missions involving a fast acquisition of moving targets in space. In addition, such maneuvers are also needed for the efficient operation of robot manipulators. Attention is given to details regarding the direct nonlinear command generation and tracking, an approach which has been successfully applied to the design of control systems for V/STOL aircraft, linearizing transformations for spacecraft controlled with external thrusters, the case of flexible spacecraft dynamics, examples from robot dynamics, and problems of implementation and testing.

Apollo 9 prime crew participate in water egress training

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-11-01

S68-54859 (November 1968) --- The prime crew of the Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/Saturn 504) space mission participates in water egress training in a tank in Building 260 at the Manned Spacecraft Center. Egressing the Apollo command module boilerplate is astronaut James A. McDivitt, commander. In life raft are astronauts David R. Scott (background), command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot.

Apollo 11 spacecraft Command Module hoisted aboard U.S.S. Hornet

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-07-24

The Apollo 11 spacecraft Command Module is photographed being lowered to the deck of the U.S.S. Hornet, prime recovery ship for the historic lunar landing mission. Note the flotation ring attached by Navy divers has been removed from the capsule.

Apollo-Lunar Orbital Rendezvous Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1963-01-01

The film shows artists rendition of the spacecrafts, boosters, and flight of the Apollo lunar missions. The Apollo spacecraft will consist of three modules: the manned Command Module; the Service Module, which contains propulsion systems; and the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) to carry astronauts to the moon and back to the Command and Service Modules. The spacecraft will be launched via a three-stage Saturn booster. The first stage will provide 7.5 million pounds of thrust from five F-1 engines for liftoff and initial powered flight. The second stage will develop 1 million pounds of thrust from five J-2 engines to boost the spacecraft almost into Earth orbit. Immediately after ignition of the second stage, the Launch Escape System will be jettisoned. A single J-2 engine in the S4B stage will provide 200,000 pounds of thrust to place the spacecraft in an earth parking orbit. It also will be used to propel the spacecraft into a translunar trajectory, then it will separate from the Apollo Modules. Onboard propulsion systems will be used to insert the spacecraft into lunar orbit. Two astronauts will enter the LEM, which will separate from the command and service modules. The LEM will go into elliptical orbit and prepare for landing. The LEM will lift off of the Moon's surface to return to the Command and Service Modules, and most likely be left in lunar orbit. After leaving the Moon's orbit, and shortly before entering Earth's orbit, the Service Module will be ejected. The Command Module will be oriented for reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. A drogue parachute will deploy at approximately 50,000 feet, followed by the main parachute system for touchdown.

The emergence of Zipf's law - Spontaneous encoding optimization by users of a command language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, S. R.; Hitchcock, R. J.

1986-01-01

The distribution of commands issued by experienced users of a computer operating system allowing command customization tends to conform to Zipf's law. This result documents the emergence of a statistical property of natural language as users master an artificial language. Analysis of Zipf's law by Mandelbrot and Cherry shows that its emergence in the computer interaction of experienced users may be interpreted as evidence that these users optimize their encoding of commands. Accordingly, the extent to which users of a command language exhibit Zipf's law can provide a metric of the naturalness and efficiency with which that language is used.

Recovery - Apollo Spacecraft (S/C)-017

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-11-09

S67-49423 (9 Nov. 1967) --- The Apollo Spacecraft 017 Command Module, with flotation collar still attached, is hoisted aboard the USS Bennington, prime recovery ship for the Apollo 4 (Spacecraft 017/Saturn 501) unmanned, Earth-orbital space mission. The Command Module splashed down at 3:37 p.m. (EST), Nov. 9, 1967, 934 nautical miles northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, in the mid-Pacific Ocean. Note charred heat shield caused by extreme heat of reentry.

The instant sequencing task: Toward constraint-checking a complex spacecraft command sequence interactively

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horvath, Joan C.; Alkalaj, Leon J.; Schneider, Karl M.; Amador, Arthur V.; Spitale, Joseph N.

1993-01-01

Robotic spacecraft are controlled by sets of commands called 'sequences.' These sequences must be checked against mission constraints. Making our existing constraint checking program faster would enable new capabilities in our uplink process. Therefore, we are rewriting this program to run on a parallel computer. To do so, we had to determine how to run constraint-checking algorithms in parallel and create a new method of specifying spacecraft models and constraints. This new specification gives us a means of representing flight systems and their predicted response to commands which could be used in a variety of applications throughout the command process, particularly during anomaly or high-activity operations. This commonality could reduce operations cost and risk for future complex missions. Lessons learned in applying some parts of this system to the TOPEX/Poseidon mission will be described.

Development of an expert system prototype for determining software functional requirements for command management activities at NASA Goddard

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liebowitz, J.

1985-01-01

The development of an expert system prototype for determining software functional requirements for NASA Goddard's Command Management System (CMS) is described. The role of the CMS is to transform general requests into specific spacecraft commands with command execution conditions. The CMS is part of the NASA Data System which entails the downlink of science and engineering data from NASA near-earth satellites to the user, and the uplink of command and control data to the spacecraft. Subjects covered include: the problem environment of determining CMS software functional requirements; the expert system approach for handling CMS requirements development; validation and evaluation procedures for the expert system.

Network command processing system overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nam, Yon-Woo; Murphy, Lisa D.

1993-01-01

The Network Command Processing System (NCPS) developed for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ground Network (GN) stations is a spacecraft command system utilizing a MULTIBUS I/68030 microprocessor. This system was developed and implemented at ground stations worldwide to provide a Project Operations Control Center (POCC) with command capability for support of spacecraft operations such as the LANDSAT, Shuttle, Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, and Nimbus-7. The NCPS consolidates multiple modulation schemes for supporting various manned/unmanned orbital platforms. The NCPS interacts with the POCC and a local operator to process configuration requests, generate modulated uplink sequences, and inform users of the ground command link status. This paper presents the system functional description, hardware description, and the software design.

Automatic Command Sequence Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Forest; Gladded, Roy; Khanampompan, Teerapat

2007-01-01

Automatic Sequence Generator (Autogen) Version 3.0 software automatically generates command sequences for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and several other JPL spacecraft operated by the multi-mission support team. Autogen uses standard JPL sequencing tools like APGEN, ASP, SEQGEN, and the DOM database to automate the generation of uplink command products, Spacecraft Command Message Format (SCMF) files, and the corresponding ground command products, DSN Keywords Files (DKF). Autogen supports all the major multi-mission mission phases including the cruise, aerobraking, mapping/science, and relay mission phases. Autogen is a Perl script, which functions within the mission operations UNIX environment. It consists of two parts: a set of model files and the autogen Perl script. Autogen encodes the behaviors of the system into a model and encodes algorithms for context sensitive customizations of the modeled behaviors. The model includes knowledge of different mission phases and how the resultant command products must differ for these phases. The executable software portion of Autogen, automates the setup and use of APGEN for constructing a spacecraft activity sequence file (SASF). The setup includes file retrieval through the DOM (Distributed Object Manager), an object database used to store project files. This step retrieves all the needed input files for generating the command products. Depending on the mission phase, Autogen also uses the ASP (Automated Sequence Processor) and SEQGEN to generate the command product sent to the spacecraft. Autogen also provides the means for customizing sequences through the use of configuration files. By automating the majority of the sequencing generation process, Autogen eliminates many sequence generation errors commonly introduced by manually constructing spacecraft command sequences. Through the layering of commands into the sequence by a series of scheduling algorithms, users are able to rapidly and reliably construct the desired uplink command products. With the aid of Autogen, sequences may be produced in a matter of hours instead of weeks, with a significant reduction in the number of people on the sequence team. As a result, the uplink product generation process is significantly streamlined and mission risk is significantly reduced. Autogen is used for operations of MRO, Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), Mars Exploration Rover (MER), Mars Odyssey, and will be used for operations of Phoenix. Autogen Version 3.0 is the operational version of Autogen including the MRO adaptation for the cruise mission phase, and was also used for development of the aerobraking and mapping mission phases for MRO.

LANDSAT-1 and LANDSAT-2 flight evaluation report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

The LANDSAT-1 spacecraft was launched from the Western Test Range on 23 July 1972, at 18:08:06.508Z. The launch and orbital injection phase of the space flight was nominal and deployment of the spacecraft followed predictions. Orbital operations of the spacecraft and payload subsystems were satisfactory through Orbit 147, after which an internal short circuit disabled one of the Wideband Video Tape Recorders (WBVTR-2). Operations resumed until Orbit 196, when the Return Beam Vidicon failed to respond when commanded off. The RBV was commanded off via alternate commands. LANDSAT-1 continued to perform its imaging mission with the Multispectral Scanner and the remaining Wideband Video Tape Recorder providing image data.

LAUNCH - APOLLO VII - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-10-11

S68-48666 (11 Oct. 1968) --- The Apollo 7/Saturn IB space vehicle is launched from the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 34 at 11:03 a.m. (EDT), Oct. 11, 1968. Apollo 7 (Spacecraft 101/Saturn 205) is the first of several manned flights aimed at qualifying the spacecraft for the half-million-mile round trip to the moon. Aboard the Apollo spacecraft are astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot; and Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot.

Apollo spacecraft Command/Service Module and Lunar Module 3 arrive at VAB

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-12-03

Apollo Spacecraft 104 Command/Service Module and Lunar Module 3 arrive at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for mating atop the Saturn 504 launch vehicle. The Saturn 504 stack is out of view. The Saturn V first (S-IC) stage in left background is scheduled for a later flight.

COMMAND MODULE - APOLLO - INTERIOR - SPACECRAFT (S/C) 101 - PANEL - CONTROL - NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION (NAA), CA

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-01-27

S67-23078 (27 Jan. 1967) --- Three astronauts (later to be named the Apollo 9 prime crew) in Apollo spacecraft 101 Command module during Apollo crew compartment fit and function test. Left to right are astronauts James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart.

Reporting Differences Between Spacecraft Sequence Files

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khanampompan, Teerapat; Gladden, Roy E.; Fisher, Forest W.

2010-01-01

A suite of computer programs, called seq diff suite, reports differences between the products of other computer programs involved in the generation of sequences of commands for spacecraft. These products consist of files of several types: replacement sequence of events (RSOE), DSN keyword file [DKF (wherein DSN signifies Deep Space Network)], spacecraft activities sequence file (SASF), spacecraft sequence file (SSF), and station allocation file (SAF). These products can include line numbers, request identifications, and other pieces of information that are not relevant when generating command sequence products, though these fields can result in the appearance of many changes to the files, particularly when using the UNIX diff command to inspect file differences. The outputs of prior software tools for reporting differences between such products include differences in these non-relevant pieces of information. In contrast, seq diff suite removes the fields containing the irrelevant pieces of information before processing to extract differences, so that only relevant differences are reported. Thus, seq diff suite is especially useful for reporting changes between successive versions of the various products and in particular flagging difference in fields relevant to the sequence command generation and review process.

Spacecraft command verification: The AI solution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesq, Lorraine M.; Stephan, Amy; Smith, Brian K.

1990-01-01

Recently, a knowledge-based approach was used to develop a system called the Command Constraint Checker (CCC) for TRW. CCC was created to automate the process of verifying spacecraft command sequences. To check command files by hand for timing and sequencing errors is a time-consuming and error-prone task. Conventional software solutions were rejected when it was estimated that it would require 36 man-months to build an automated tool to check constraints by conventional methods. Using rule-based representation to model the various timing and sequencing constraints of the spacecraft, CCC was developed and tested in only three months. By applying artificial intelligence techniques, CCC designers were able to demonstrate the viability of AI as a tool to transform difficult problems into easily managed tasks. The design considerations used in developing CCC are discussed and the potential impact of this system on future satellite programs is examined.

Multi-Mission System Architecture Platform: Design and Verification of the Remote Engineering Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sartori, John

2005-01-01

The Multi-Mission System Architecture Platform (MSAP) represents an effort to bolster efficiency in the spacecraft design process. By incorporating essential spacecraft functionality into a modular, expandable system, the MSAP provides a foundation on which future spacecraft missions can be developed. Once completed, the MSAP will provide support for missions with varying objectives, while maintaining a level of standardization that will minimize redesign of general system components. One subsystem of the MSAP, the Remote Engineering Unit (REU), functions by gathering engineering telemetry from strategic points on the spacecraft and providing these measurements to the spacecraft's Command and Data Handling (C&DH) subsystem. Before the MSAP Project reaches completion, all hardware, including the REU, must be verified. However, the speed and complexity of the REU circuitry rules out the possibility of physical prototyping. Instead, the MSAP hardware is designed and verified using the Verilog Hardware Definition Language (HDL). An increasingly popular means of digital design, HDL programming provides a level of abstraction, which allows the designer to focus on functionality while logic synthesis tools take care of gate-level design and optimization. As verification of the REU proceeds, errors are quickly remedied, preventing costly changes during hardware validation. After undergoing the careful, iterative processes of verification and validation, the REU and MSAP will prove their readiness for use in a multitude of spacecraft missions.

Model Checking Artificial Intelligence Based Planners: Even the Best Laid Plans Must Be Verified

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Margaret H.; Holzmann, Gerard J.; Cucullu, Gordon C., III; Smith, Benjamin D.

2005-01-01

Automated planning systems (APS) are gaining acceptance for use on NASA missions as evidenced by APS flown On missions such as Orbiter and Deep Space 1 both of which were commanded by onboard planning systems. The planning system takes high level goals and expands them onboard into a detailed of action fiat the spacecraft executes. The system must be verified to ensure that the automatically generated plans achieve the goals as expected and do not generate actions that would harm the spacecraft or mission. These systems are typically tested using empirical methods. Formal methods, such as model checking, offer exhaustive or measurable test coverage which leads to much greater confidence in correctness. This paper describes a formal method based on the SPIN model checker. This method guarantees that possible plans meet certain desirable properties. We express the input model in Promela, the language of SPIN and express the properties of desirable plans formally.

Considerations on command and response language features for a network of heterogeneous autonomous computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engelberg, N.; Shaw, C., III

1984-01-01

The design of a uniform command language to be used in a local area network of heterogeneous, autonomous nodes is considered. After examining the major characteristics of such a network, and after considering the profile of a scientist using the computers on the net as an investigative aid, a set of reasonable requirements for the command language are derived. Taking into account the possible inefficiencies in implementing a guest-layered network operating system and command language on a heterogeneous net, the authors examine command language naming, process/procedure invocation, parameter acquisition, help and response facilities, and other features found in single-node command languages, and conclude that some features may extend simply to the network case, others extend after some restrictions are imposed, and still others require modifications. In addition, it is noted that some requirements considered reasonable (user accounting reports, for example) demand further study before they can be efficiently implemented on a network of the sort described.

Prelaunch - Apollo X

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-05-18

S69-34482 (18 May 1969) --- Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 10 command module pilot, jokes with Donald K. Slayton (standing left), director of Flight Crew Operations, Manned Spacecraft Center, during Apollo 10 suiting up operations. On couch in background is astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot. Astronauts Young; Cernan; and Thomas P. Stafford, commander, rode a transfer van from the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building over to Pad B, Launch Complex 39 where their spacecraft awaited them. Liftoff was at 12:49 p.m. (EDT), May 18, 1969.

LAUNCH - APOLLO 9 - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-03

S69-25861 (3 March 1969) --- The Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/ Saturn 504) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 11 a.m. (EST), March 3, 1969. Aboard the spacecraft are astronauts James A. McDivitt, commander; David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. The Apollo 9 mission will evaluate spacecraft lunar module systems performance during manned Earth-orbital flight. Apollo 9 is the second manned Saturn V mission.

Tracking and data relay satellite system configuration and tradeoff study. Volume 5: TDRS spacecraft design, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A dual spin stabilized TDR spacecraft design is presented for low data rate (LDR) and medium data rate (MDR) user spacecraft telecommunication relay service. The relay satellite provides command and data return channels for unmanned users together with duplex voice and data communication channels for manned user spacecraft. TDRS/ground links are in the Ku band. Command links are provided at UHF for LDR users and S band for MDR users. Voice communication channels are provided at UHF/VHF for LDR users and at S band for MDR users. The spacecraft is designed for launch on the Delta 2914 with system deployment planned for 1978. This volume contains a description of the overall TDR spacecraft configuration, a detailed description of the spacecraft subsystems, a reliability analysis, and a product effectiveness plan.

The NASA Spacecraft Transponding Modem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berner, Jeff B.; Kayalar, Selahattin; Perret, Jonathan D.

2000-01-01

A new deep space transponder is being developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for NASA. The Spacecraft Transponding Modem (STM) implements the standard transponder functions and the channel service functions that have previously resided in spacecraft Command/Data Subsystems. The STM uses custom ASICs, MMICs, and MCMs to reduce the active device parts count to 70, mass to I kg, and volume to 524 cc. The first STMs will be flown on missions launching in the 2003 time frame. The STM tracks an X-band uplink signal and provides both X-band and Ka-band downlinks, either coherent or non-coherent with the uplink. A NASA standard Command Detector Unit is integrated into the STM, along with a codeblock processor and a hardware command decoder. The decoded command codeblocks are output to the spacecraft command/data subsystem. Virtual Channel 0 (VC-0) (hardware) commands are processed and output as critical controller (CRC) commands. Downlink telemetry is received from the spacecraft data subsystem as telemetry frames. The STM provides the following downlink coding options: the standard CCSDS (7-1/2) convolutional coding, ReedSolomon coding with interleave depths one and five, (15-1/6) convolutional coding, and Turbo coding with rates 1/3 and 1/6. The downlink symbol rates can be linearly ramped to match the G/T curve of the receiving station, providing up to a 1 dB increase in data return. Data rates range from 5 bits per second (bps) to 24 Mbps, with three modulation modes provided: modulated subcarrier (3 different frequencies provided), biphase-L modulated direct on carrier, and Offset QPSK. Also, the capability to generate one of four non-harmonically related telemetry beacon tones is provided, to allow for a simple spacecraft status monitoring scheme for cruise phases of missions. Three ranging modes are provided: standard turn around ranging, regenerative pseudo-noise (PN) ranging, and Differential One-way Ranging (DOR) tones. The regenerative ranging provides the capability of increasing the ground received ranging SNR by up to 30 dB. Two different avionics interfaces to the command/data subsystem's data bus are provided: a MIL STD 1553B bus or an industry standard PCI interface. Digital interfaces provide the capability to control antenna selection (e.g., switching between high gain and low gain antennas) and antenna pointing (for future steered Ka-band antennas).

View of Africa and Madagascar from the Apollo 17 spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-12-09

AS17-148-22717 (7 Dec. 1972) --- This view of a portion of Earth was taken from the Apollo 17 spacecraft following trans-lunar insertion during the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo Program. The visible land mass is the southern two-thirds of the African continent, with Madagascar at right. A portion of Antarctica is visible at bottom frame. Onboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft were astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, commander; Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot; and Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot. While astronauts Cernan and Schmitt descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Challenger" to explore the Hadley-Apennine region of the moon, astronaut Evans remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "America" in lunar orbit.

A natural command language for C/3/I applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mergler, J. P.

1980-03-01

The article discusses the development of a natural command language and a control and analysis console designed to simplify the task of the operator in field of Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence. The console is based on a DEC LSI-11 microcomputer, supported by 16-K words of memory and a serial interface component. Discussion covers the language, which utilizes English and a natural syntax, and how it is integrated with the hardware. It is concluded that results have demonstrated the effectiveness of this natural command language.

Re-engineering the Multimission Command System at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, Scott; Biesiadecki, Jeff; Cox, Nagin; Murphy, Susan C.; Reeve, Tim

1994-01-01

The Operations Engineering Lab (OEL) at JPL has developed the multimission command system as part of JPL's Advanced Multimission Operations System. The command system provides an advanced multimission environment for secure, concurrent commanding of multiple spacecraft. The command functions include real-time command generation, command translation and radiation, status reporting, some remote control of Deep Space Network antenna functions, and command file management. The mission-independent architecture has allowed easy adaptation to new flight projects and the system currently supports all JPL planetary missions (Voyager, Galileo, Magellan, Ulysses, Mars Pathfinder, and CASSINI). This paper will discuss the design and implementation of the command software, especially trade-offs and lessons learned from practical operational use. The lessons learned have resulted in a re-engineering of the command system, especially in its user interface and new automation capabilities. The redesign has allowed streamlining of command operations with significant improvements in productivity and ease of use. In addition, the new system has provided a command capability that works equally well for real-time operations and within a spacecraft testbed. This paper will also discuss new development work including a multimission command database toolkit, a universal command translator for sequencing and real-time commands, and incorporation of telecommand capabilities for new missions.

Apollo 13 spacecraft splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-04-17

S70-35644 (17 April 1970) --- The Apollo 13 Command Module (CM) splashes down and its three main parachutes collapse, as the week-long problem-plagued Apollo 13 mission comes to a premature, but safe end. The spacecraft, with astronauts James A. Lovell Jr., commander; John L. Swigert Jr., command module pilot; and Fred W. Haise Jr., lunar module pilot, aboard splashed down at 12:07:44 p.m. (CST) April 17, 1970, in the South Pacific Ocean, only about four miles from the USS Iwo Jima, prime recovery ship.

Task four report: Telemetry, command, and data handling. [communication systems for ATS, SMS, OSO, and ERTS satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

An overview of the telemetry, command, and data handling features of four spacecraft developed under GSFC management is presented. Two of these spacecraft ATS and SMS, are designed for geostationary orbit; the other two OSO and ERTS, are designed for low earth orbits. The program time spans for these spacecraft are as shown. The programs are seen to be near contemporary, especially in the 1973, 1974 period. All of the spacecraft listed were developed under GSFC control and are thus subject to the standards set forth in the Aerospace Data System Standard developed by GSFC. These standards must be adhered to by all spacecraft programs under GSFC control or utilizing STDN unless waivers have been granted. The standards were developed to maximize the utilization of the large amount of standard equipment at each STDN ground facility. The standards impose bounds on both the command and telemetry formats to be compatible with the STDN ground station unless valid and acceptable reasons are raised to deviate from these restraints.

Astronaut Eugene Cernan sleeping aboard Apollo 17 spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-12-17

AS17-162-24049 (7-19 Dec. 1972) --- A fellow crewman took this picture of astronaut Eugene A. Cernan dozing aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft during the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program. Also, aboard Apollo 17 were astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot, and scientist-astronaut Harrison H. "Jack" Schmitt, lunar module pilot. Cernan was the mission commander.

Crew Training - Apollo 9 (Alt. Chamber) - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-01-01

S68-55272 (15 Nov. 1968) --- The Apollo 9 prime crew is seen inside the Apollo 9 spacecraft in the Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building during manned altitude chamber test activity. Left to right, are astronauts James A. McDivitt, commander; David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart (out of view to far right), lunar module pilot.

FastScript3D - A Companion to Java 3D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, Patti

2005-01-01

FastScript3D is a computer program, written in the Java 3D(TM) programming language, that establishes an alternative language that helps users who lack expertise in Java 3D to use Java 3D for constructing three-dimensional (3D)-appearing graphics. The FastScript3D language provides a set of simple, intuitive, one-line text-string commands for creating, controlling, and animating 3D models. The first word in a string is the name of a command; the rest of the string contains the data arguments for the command. The commands can also be used as an aid to learning Java 3D. Developers can extend the language by adding custom text-string commands. The commands can define new 3D objects or load representations of 3D objects from files in formats compatible with such other software systems as X3D. The text strings can be easily integrated into other languages. FastScript3D facilitates communication between scripting languages [which enable programming of hyper-text markup language (HTML) documents to interact with users] and Java 3D. The FastScript3D language can be extended and customized on both the scripting side and the Java 3D side.

Natural language interface for command and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuler, Robert L., Jr.

1986-01-01

A working prototype of a flexible 'natural language' interface for command and control situations is presented. This prototype is analyzed from two standpoints. First is the role of natural language for command and control, its realistic requirements, and how well the role can be filled with current practical technology. Second, technical concepts for implementation are discussed and illustrated by their application in the prototype system. It is also shown how adaptive or 'learning' features can greatly ease the task of encoding language knowledge in the language processor.

A multicomputer simulation of the Galileo spacecraft command and data subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zipse, John E.; Yeung, Raymond Y.; Zimmerman, Barbara A.; Morillo, Ronald; Olster, Daniel B.; Flower, Jon W.; Mizuo, Thomas

1991-01-01

A detailed simulation of the command and data subsystem of the Galileo spacecraft on a distributed memory multicomputer is described. The simulation is based on an ensemble of Inmos Transputers for simulating, to the bit level, the execution of instruction sequences for the six RCA 1802 microcomputers and the intricate bus traffic between them and other components of the spacecraft. Expressions were developed to estimate the performance of the simulator on a distributed system given the processor clock speed, memory access time, and communication characteristics.

Apollo 9 crew leaves Spacecraft Operations Building during countdown

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-03

S69-25883 (3 March 1969) --- The Apollo 9 crew leaves the Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building during the Apollo 9 prelaunch countdown. Leading is astronaut James A. McDivitt, commander; followed by astronaut David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. Moments later they entered the special transfer van which transported them to their waiting spacecraft at Pad A, Launch Complex 39. Apollo 9 was launched at 11 a.m. (EST), March 3, 1969, on a 10-day Earth-orbital mission.

LAUNCH - APOLLO 9 - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-03

S69-25862 (3 March 1969) --- Framed by palm trees in the foreground, the Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/ Saturn 504) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) at 11 a.m. (EST), March 3, 1969. Aboard the spacecraft are astronauts James A. McDivitt, commander; David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. The Apollo 9 mission will evaluate spacecraft lunar module systems performance during manned Earth-orbital flight. Apollo 9 is the second manned Saturn V mission.

Space tracking and data systems; Proceedings of the Symposium, Arlington, VA, June 16-18, 1981

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grey, J. (Editor); Hamdan, L. A.

1981-01-01

The AIAA/NASA Symposium on Space Tracking and Data Systems, held in Pentagon City, Virginia, on June 16-18, 1981, had the purpose of reviewing international activities in space tracking and data systems for civil use in the 1980-2000 time frame. Participants included 225 representatives from industrial and government organizations in eight nations. The nations represented include the United States, France, Germany, India, Japan, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. The major functions of the systems described at the Symposium are related to the initial downlink of telemetry and spacecraft status data, attendant tracking activities, and uplink of spacecraft commands; communication between the associated acquisition sites and central processing and control stations; formulation and implementation of commands that control the spacecraft and its payload; and processing of spacecraft data needed to make command decisions. Attention is given to an overview of current activities and plans, and supporting developments, taking into account the time from 1980 to 1990. New developments are also considered.

Open-systems Architecture of a Standardized Command Interface Chip-set for Switching and Control of a Spacecraft Power Bus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruiz, B. Ian; Burke, Gary R.; Lung, Gerald; Whitaker, William D.; Nowicki, Robert M.

2004-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the architecture of the The CIA-AlA chip-set is a set of mixed-signal ASICs that provide a flexible high level interface between the spacecraft's command and data handling (C&DH) electronics and lower level functions in other spacecraft subsystems. Due to the open-systems architecture of the chip-set including an embedded micro-controller a variety of applications are possible. The chip-set was developed for the missions to the outer planets. The chips were developed to provide a single solution for both the switching and regulation of a spacecraft power bus. The Open-Systems Architecture allows for other powerful applications.

Soyuz TMA-12M/38S Spacecraft attached to parachute

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-09-11

ISS041-E-000003 (11 Sept. 2014) --- A close-up view of a computer monitor onboard the International Space Station, photographed by an Expedition 41 crew member, shows the landing of the Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft with NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, Expedition 40 commander; Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov, Soyuz commander and flight engineer; and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, flight engineer, onboard.

Expedition 18 Door Signing

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-11

Expedition 18 Commander Michael Fincke signs the door of a hotel room at the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing for the launch aboard a Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying Expedition 18 Commander Michael Fincke, Flight Engineer Yuri V. Lonchakov and American spaceflight participant Richard Garriott. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Effort to recover SOHO spacecraft continue as investigation board focuses on most likely causes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1998-07-01

Meanwhile, the ESA/NASA investigation board concentrates its inquiry on three errors that appear to have led to the interruption of communications with SOHO on June 25. Officials remain hopeful that, based on ESA's successful recovery of the Olympus spacecraft after four weeks under similar conditions in 1991, recovery of SOHO may be possible. The SOHO Mission Interruption Joint ESA/NASA Investigation Board has determined that the first two errors were contained in preprogrammed command sequences executed on ground system computers, while the last error was a decision to send a command to the spacecraft in response to unexpected telemetry readings. The spacecraft is controlled by the Flight Operations Team, based at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. The first error was in a preprogrammed command sequence that lacked a command to enable an on-board software function designed to activate a gyro needed for control in Emergency Sun Reacquisition (ESR) mode. ESR mode is entered by the spacecraft in the event of anomalies. The second error, which was in a different preprogrammed command sequence, resulted in incorrect readings from one of the spacecraft's three gyroscopes, which in turn triggered an ESR. At the current stage of the investigation, the board believes that the two anomalous command sequences, in combination with a decision to send a command to SOHO to turn off a gyro in response to unexpected telemetry values, caused the spacecraft to enter a series of ESRs, and ultimately led to the loss of control. The efforts of the investigation board are now directed at identifying the circumstances that led to the errors, and at developing a recovery plan should efforts to regain contact with the spacecraft succeed. ESA and NASA engineers believe the spacecraft is currently spinning with its solar panels nearly edge-on towards the Sun, and thus not generating any power. Since the spacecraft is spinning around a fixed axis, as the spacecraft progresses in its orbit around the Sun, the orientation of the panels with respect to the Sun should gradually change. The orbit of the spacecraft and the seasonal change in the spacecraft-Sun alignment should result in the increased solar illumination of the spacecraft solar arrays over the next few months. The engineers predict that in late September 1998, illumination of the solar arrays and, consequently, power supplied to the spacecraft, should approach a maximum. The probability of successfully establishing contact reaches a maximum at this point. After this time, illumination of the solar arrays gradually diminishes as the spacecraft-Sun alignment continues to change. In an attempt to recover SOHO as soon as possible, the Flight Operations Team is uplinking commands to the spacecraft via NASA's Deep Space Network, managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, approximately 12 hours per day with no success to date. A recovery plan is under development by ESA and NASA to provide for orderly restart of the spacecraft and to mitigate risks involved. The recovery of the Olympus spacecraft by ESA in 1991 under similar conditions leads to optimism that the SOHO spacecraft may be recoverable once contact is re-established. In May 1991, ESA's Olympus telecommunications satellite experienced a similar major anomaly which resulted in the loss of attitude, leading to intermittent power availability. As a consequence, there was inadequate communication, and the batteries and fuel froze. From analysis of the data available prior to the loss, there was confidence that the power situation would improve over the coming months. A recovery plan was prepared, supported by laboratory tests, to assess the characteristics of thawing batteries and propellants. Telecommand access of Olympus was regained four weeks later, and batteries and propellant tanks were thawed out progressively over the next four weeks. The attitude was then fully recovered and the payload switched back on three months after the incident. Equipment damage was sustained as a result of the low temperatures, but nothing significant enough to prevent the successful resumption of the mission. The experience of Olympus is being applied, where possible, to SOHO and increases the hope of also recovering this mission. Estimating the probability of recovery is made difficult by a number of unknown spacecraft conditions. Like Olympus, the hydrazine fuel and batteries may be frozen. Thermal stress may have damaged some of the scientific instruments as well. If the rate of spin is excessive, there may have been structural damage. SOHO engineers can reliably predict the spacecraft's orbit through November 1998. After that time, the long-term orbital behavior becomes dependent on the initial velocity conditions of the spacecraft at the time of the telemetry loss. These are not known precisely, due to spacecraft thruster activity that continued after loss of telemetry, so orbital prediction becomes very difficult.

XML Flight/Ground Data Dictionary Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Jesse; Wiklow, Colette

2007-01-01

A computer program generates Extensible Markup Language (XML) files that effect coupling between the command- and telemetry-handling software running aboard a spacecraft and the corresponding software running in ground support systems. The XML files are produced by use of information from the flight software and from flight-system engineering. The XML files are converted to legacy ground-system data formats for command and telemetry, transformed into Web-based and printed documentation, and used in developing new ground-system data-handling software. Previously, the information about telemetry and command was scattered in various paper documents that were not synchronized. The process of searching and reading the documents was time-consuming and introduced errors. In contrast, the XML files contain all of the information in one place. XML structures can evolve in such a manner as to enable the addition, to the XML files, of the metadata necessary to track the changes and the associated documentation. The use of this software has reduced the extent of manual operations in developing a ground data system, thereby saving considerable time and removing errors that previously arose in the translation and transcription of software information from the flight to the ground system.

Technicians close hatches on Gemini 11 spacecraft during countdown

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

Technicians in the White Room atop Pad 19 prepare to close hatches on the Gemini 11 spacecraft during prelaunch countdown. Inside the spacecraft are Astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., command pilot, and Richard F. Gordon Jr., pilot.

Intelligent tutoring in the spacecraft command/control environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Truszkowski, Walter F.

1988-01-01

The spacecraft command/control environment is becoming increasingly complex. As we enter the era of Space Station and the era of more highly automated systems, it is evident that the critical roles played by operations personnel in supervising the many required control center system components is becoming more cognitively demanding. In addition, the changing and emerging roles in the operations picture have far-reaching effects on the achievement of mission objectives. Thus highly trained and competent operations personnel are mandatory for success. Keeping pace with these developments has been computer-aided instruction utilizing various artificial intelligence technologies. The impacts of this growing capability on the stringent requirements for efficient and effective control center operations personnel is an area of much concentrated study. Some of the research and development of automated tutoring systems for the spacecraft command/control environment is addressed.

Interior view of KSC's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-01-31

S69-19197 (1969) --- Interior view of the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) showing Apollo Spacecraft 106 Command and Service Modules (CSM) being moved to integrated work stand number one for mating to Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter (SLA) 13. Spacecraft 106 will be flown on the Apollo 10 (Lunar Module 4/Saturn 505) space mission.

Interior view of KSC's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-01-31

S69-19190 (31 Jan. 1969) --- Interior view of the Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building showing Apollo Spacecraft 106/Command/Service Module being moved to integrated work stand number one for mating to Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter (SLA) 13. Spacecraft 106 will be flown on the Apollo 10 (Lunar Module 4/Saturn 505) space mission.

An expert system that performs a satellite station keepimg maneuver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linesbrowning, M. Kate; Stone, John L., Jr.

1987-01-01

The development and characteristics of a prototype expert system, Expert System for Satellite Orbit Control (ESSOC), capable of providing real-time spacecraft system analysis and command generation for a geostationary satellite are described. The ESSOC recommends appropriate commands that reflect both the changing spacecraft condition and previous procedural action. An internal knowledge base stores satellite status information and is updated with processed spacecraft telemetry. Procedural structure data are encoded in production rules. Structural methods of knowledge acquisition and the design and performance-enhancing techniques that enable ESSOC to operate in real time are also considered.

COMMAND MODULE (C/M) - APOLLO/SATURN (A/S) MISSION 204 - SPACECRAFT (S/C) 012 (FIRE) - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-01-28

S67-21294 (28 Jan. 1967) --- Close-up view of the interior of Apollo Spacecraft 012 Command Module at Pad 34 showing the effects of the intense heat of the flash fire which killed the prime crew of the Apollo/Saturn 204 mission. Astronauts Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee lost their lives in the accidental fire.

Commanding Constellations (Pipeline Architecture)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Tim; Condron, Jeff

2003-01-01

Providing ground command software for constellations of spacecraft is a challenging problem. Reliable command delivery requires a feedback loop; for a constellation there will likely be an independent feedback loop for each constellation member. Each command must be sent via the proper Ground Station, which may change from one contact to the next (and may be different for different members). Dynamic configuration of the ground command software is usually required (e.g. directives to configure each member's feedback loop and assign the appropriate Ground Station). For testing purposes, there must be a way to insert command data at any level in the protocol stack. The Pipeline architecture described in this paper can support all these capabilities with a sequence of software modules (the pipeline), and a single self-identifying message format (for all types of command data and configuration directives). The Pipeline architecture is quite simple, yet it can solve some complex problems. The resulting solutions are conceptually simple, and therefore, reliable. They are also modular, and therefore, easy to distribute and extend. We first used the Pipeline architecture to design a CCSDS (Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems) Ground Telecommand system (to command one spacecraft at a time with a fixed Ground Station interface). This pipeline was later extended to include gateways to any of several Ground Stations. The resulting pipeline was then extended to handle a small constellation of spacecraft. The use of the Pipeline architecture allowed us to easily handle the increasing complexity. This paper will describe the Pipeline architecture, show how it was used to solve each of the above commanding situations, and how it can easily be extended to handle larger constellations.

The Next Generation of Ground Operations Command and Control; Scripting in C Sharp and Visual Basic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ritter, George; Pedoto, Ramon

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the use of scripting languages in Ground Operations Command and Control. It describes the use of scripting languages in a historical context, the advantages and disadvantages of scripts. It describes the Enhanced and Redesigned Scripting (ERS) language, that was designed to combine the features of a scripting language and the graphical and IDE richness of a programming language with the utility of scripting languages. ERS uses the Microsoft Visual Studio programming environment and offers custom controls that enable an ERS developer to extend the Visual Basic and C sharp language interface with the Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) telemetry and command system.

A compiler and validator for flight operations on NASA space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fonte, Sergio; Politi, Romolo; Capria, Maria Teresa; Giardino, Marco; De Sanctis, Maria Cristina

2016-07-01

In NASA missions the management and the programming of the flight systems is performed by a specific scripting language, the SASF (Spacecraft Activity Sequence File). In order to perform a check on the syntax and grammar it is necessary a compiler that stress the errors (eventually) found in the sequence file produced for an instrument on board the flight system. In our experience on Dawn mission, we developed VIRV (VIR Validator), a tool that performs checks on the syntax and grammar of SASF, runs a simulations of VIR acquisitions and eventually finds violation of the flight rules of the sequences produced. The project of a SASF compiler (SSC - Spacecraft Sequence Compiler) is ready to have a new implementation: the generalization for different NASA mission. In fact, VIRV is a compiler for a dialect of SASF; it includes VIR commands as part of SASF language. Our goal is to produce a general compiler for the SASF, in which every instrument has a library to be introduced into the compiler. The SSC can analyze a SASF, produce a log of events, perform a simulation of the instrument acquisition and check the flight rules for the instrument selected. The output of the program can be produced in GRASS GIS format and may help the operator to analyze the geometry of the acquisition.

GSFC Systems Test and Operation Language (STOL) functional requirements and language description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desjardins, R.; Hall, G.; Mcguire, J.; Merwarth, P.; Mocarsky, W.; Truszkowski, W.; Villasenor, A.; Brosi, F.; Burch, P.; Carey, D.

1978-01-01

The Systems Tests and Operation Language (STOL) provides the means for user communication with payloads, applications programs, and other ground system elements. It is a systems operation language that enables an operator or user to communicate a command to a computer system. The system interprets each high level language directive from the user and performs the indicated action, such as executing a program, printing out a snapshot, or sending a payload command. This document presents the following: (1) required language features and implementation considerations; (2) basic capabilities; (3) telemetry, command, and input/output directives; (4) procedure definition and control; (5) listing, extension, and STOL nucleus capabilities.

Spacecraft attitude control using a smart control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buckley, Brian; Wheatcraft, Louis

1992-01-01

Traditionally, spacecraft attitude control has been implemented using control loops written in native code for a space hardened processor. The Naval Research Lab has taken this approach during the development of the Attitude Control Electronics (ACE) package. After the system was developed and delivered, NRL decided to explore alternate technologies to accomplish this same task more efficiently. The approach taken by NRL was to implement the ACE control loops using systems technologies. The purpose of this effort was to: (1) research capabilities required of an expert system in processing a classic closed-loop control algorithm; (2) research the development environment required to design and test an embedded expert systems environment; (3) research the complexity of design and development of expert systems versus a conventional approach; and (4) test the resulting systems against the flight acceptance test software for both response and accuracy. Two expert systems were selected to implement the control loops. Criteria used for the selection of the expert systems included that they had to run in both embedded systems and ground based environments. Using two different expert systems allowed a comparison of the real-time capabilities, inferencing capabilities, and the ground-based development environment. The two expert systems chosen for the evaluation were Spacecraft Command Language (SCL), and NEXTPERT Object. SCL is a smart control system produced for the NRL by Interface and Control Systems (ICS). SCL was developed to be used for real-time command, control, and monitoring of a new generation of spacecraft. NEXPERT Object is a commercially available product developed by Neuron Data. Results of the effort were evaluated using the ACE test bed. The ACE test bed had been developed and used to test the original flight hardware and software using simulators and flight-like interfaces. The test bed was used for testing the expert systems in a 'near-flight' environment. The technical approach, the system architecture, the development environments, knowledge base development, and results of this effort are detailed.

A global spacecraft control network for spacecraft autonomy research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kitts, Christopher A.

1996-01-01

The development and implementation of the Automated Space System Experimental Testbed (ASSET) space operations and control network, is reported on. This network will serve as a command and control architecture for spacecraft operations and will offer a real testbed for the application and validation of advanced autonomous spacecraft operations strategies. The proposed network will initially consist of globally distributed amateur radio ground stations at locations throughout North America and Europe. These stations will be linked via Internet to various control centers. The Stanford (CA) control center will be capable of human and computer based decision making for the coordination of user experiments, resource scheduling and fault management. The project's system architecture is described together with its proposed use as a command and control system, its value as a testbed for spacecraft autonomy research, and its current implementation.

Autonomy Architectures for a Constellation of Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrett, Anthony

2000-01-01

Until the past few years, missions typically involved fairly large expensive spacecraft. Such missions have primarily favored using older proven technologies over more recently developed ones, and humans controlled spacecraft by manually generating detailed command sequences with low-level tools and then transmitting the sequences for subsequent execution on a spacecraft controller. This approach toward controlling a spacecraft has worked spectacularly on previous missions, but it has limitations deriving from communications restrictions - scheduling time to communicate with a particular spacecraft involves competing with other projects due to the limited number of deep space network antennae. This implies that a spacecraft can spend a long time just waiting whenever a command sequence fails. This is one reason why the New Millennium program has an objective to migrate parts of mission control tasks onboard a spacecraft to reduce wait time by making spacecraft more robust. The migrated software is called a "remote agent" and has 4 components: a mission manager to generate the high level goals, a planner/scheduler to turn goals into activities while reasoning about future expected situations, an executive/diagnostics engine to initiate and maintain activities while interpreting sensed events by reasoning about past and present situations, and a conventional real-time subsystem to interface with the spacecraft to implement an activity's primitive actions. In addition to needing remote planning and execution for isolated spacecraft, a trend toward multiple-spacecraft missions points to the need for remote distributed planning and execution. The past few years have seen missions with growing numbers of probes. Pathfinder has its rover (Sojourner), Cassini has its lander (Huygens), and the New Millenium Deep Space 3 (DS3) proposal involves a constellation of 3 spacecraft for interferometric mapping. This trend is expected to continue to progressively larger fleets. For example, one mission proposed to succeed DS3 would have 18 spacecraft flying in formation in order to detect earth-sized planets orbiting other stars. A proposed magnetospheric constellation would involve 5 to 500 spacecraft in Earth orbit to measure global phenomena within the magnetosphere. This work describes and compares three autonomy architectures for a system that continuously plans to control a fleet of spacecraft using collective mission goals instead of goals or command sequences for each spacecraft. A fleet of self-commanding spacecraft would autonomously coordinate itself to satisfy high level science and engineering goals in a changing partially-understood environment making feasible the operation of tens or even a hundred spacecraft (such as for interferometry or plasma physics missions). The easiest way to adapt autonomous spacecraft research to controlling constellations involves treating the constellation as a single spacecraft. Here one spacecraft directly controls the others as if they were connected. The controlling "master" spacecraft performs all autonomy reasoning, and the slaves only have real-time subsystems to execute the master's commands and transmit local telemetry/observations. The executive/diagnostics module starts actions and the master's real-time subsystem controls the action either locally or remotely through a slave. While the master/slave approach benefits from conceptual simplicity, it relies on an assumption that the master spacecraft's executive can continuously monitor the slaves' real-time subsystems, and this relies on high-bandwidth highly-reliable communications. Since unintended results occur fairly rarely, one way to relax the bandwidth requirements involves only monitoring unexpected events in spacecraft. Unfortunately, this disables the ability to monitor for unexpected events between spacecraft and leads to a host of coordination problems among the slaves. Also, failures in the communications system can result in losing slaves. The other two architectures improve robustness while reducing communications by progressively distributing more of the other three remote agent components across the constellation. In a teamwork architecture, all spacecraft have executives and real-time subsystems - only the leader has the planner/scheduler and mission manager. Finally, distributing all remote agent components leads to a peer-to-peer approach toward constellation control.

SciBox, an end-to-end automated science planning and commanding system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choo, Teck H.; Murchie, Scott L.; Bedini, Peter D.; Steele, R. Josh; Skura, Joseph P.; Nguyen, Lillian; Nair, Hari; Lucks, Michael; Berman, Alice F.; McGovern, James A.; Turner, F. Scott

2014-01-01

SciBox is a new technology for planning and commanding science operations for Earth-orbital and planetary space missions. It has been incrementally developed since 2001 and demonstrated on several spaceflight projects. The technology has matured to the point that it is now being used to plan and command all orbital science operations for the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission to Mercury. SciBox encompasses the derivation of observing sequences from science objectives, the scheduling of those sequences, the generation of spacecraft and instrument commands, and the validation of those commands prior to uploading to the spacecraft. Although the process is automated, science and observing requirements are incorporated at each step by a series of rules and parameters to optimize observing opportunities, which are tested and validated through simulation and review. Except for limited special operations and tests, there is no manual scheduling of observations or construction of command sequences. SciBox reduces the lead time for operations planning by shortening the time-consuming coordination process, reduces cost by automating the labor-intensive processes of human-in-the-loop adjudication of observing priorities, reduces operations risk by systematically checking constraints, and maximizes science return by fully evaluating the trade space of observing opportunities to meet MESSENGER science priorities within spacecraft recorder, downlink, scheduling, and orbital-geometry constraints.

Method and apparatus for reducing spacecraft instrument induced jitter via multifrequency cancellation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Ketao (Inventor); Uetrecht, David S. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for compensating for instrument induced spacecraft jitter is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a spacecraft control processor for producing an actuator command signal, a signal generator, for producing a cancellation signal having at least one harmonic having a frequency and an amplitude substantially equal to that of a disturbance harmonic interacting with a spacecraft structural resonance and a phase substantially out of phase with the disturbance harmonic interacting with the spacecraft structural resonance, and at least one spacecraft control actuator, communicatively coupled to the spacecraft control processor and the signal generator for inducing satellite motion according to the actuator command signal and the cancellation signal. The method comprises the steps of generating a cancellation signal having at least one harmonic having a frequency and an amplitude substantially equal to that of a disturbance harmonic interacting with a spacecraft structural resonance and a phase substantially out of phase with the disturbance harmonic interacting with the spacecraft structural resonance, and providing the cancellation signal to a spacecraft control actuator. The apparatus comprises a storage device tangibly embodying the method steps described above.

Launch of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-01-31

S71-18395 (31 Jan. 1971) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida at 4:03:02 p.m. (EST), Jan. 31, 1971, on a lunar landing mission. Aboard the Apollo 14 spacecraft were astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

Launch - Apollo 14 Lunar Landing Mission - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-01-31

S71-17621 (31 Jan. 1971) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 4:03:02 p.m. (EST), Jan. 31, 1981, on a lunar landing mission. Aboard the Apollo 14 spacecraft were astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

APOLLO XVI - LIFTOFF - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-04-16

S72-35345 (16 April 1972) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 16 (Spacecraft 113/Lunar Module 11/Saturn 511) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 12:54:00.569 p.m.(EST), April 16, 1972, on a lunar landing mission. Aboard the Apollo 16 spacecraft were astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot.

Expedition 53-54 Crew Safely Onboard the Space Station

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-09-13

After docking their Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft to the Poisk module on the Russian segment of the International Space Station, Expedition 53-54 Soyuz Commander Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos and flight engineers Mark Vande Hei and Joe Acaba of NASA were greeted by station Commander Randy Bresnik of NASA and flight engineers Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency, as the hatches between the spacecraft were opened.

Atmosphere Explorer control system software (version 1.0)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Villasenor, A.

1972-01-01

The basic design is described of the Atmosphere Explorer Control System (AECS) software used in the testing, integration, and flight contol of the AE spacecraft and experiments. The software performs several vital functions, such as issuing commands to the spacecraft and experiments, receiving and processing telemetry data, and allowing for extensive data processing by experiment analysis programs. The major processing sections are: executive control section, telemetry decommutation section, command generation section, and utility section.

CASSIUS: The Cassini Uplink Scheduler

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bellinger, Earl

2012-01-01

The Cassini Uplink Scheduler (CASSIUS) is cross-platform software used to generate a radiation sequence plan for commands being sent to the Cassini spacecraft. Because signals must travel through varying amounts of Earth's atmosphere, several different modes of constant telemetry rates have been devised. These modes guarantee that the spacecraft and the Deep Space Network agree with respect to the data transmission rate. However, the memory readout of a command will be lost if it occurs on a telemetry mode boundary. Given a list of spacecraft message files as well as the available telemetry modes, CASSIUS can find an uplink sequence that ensures safe transmission of each file. In addition, it can predict when the two on-board solid state recorders will swap. CASSIUS prevents data corruption by making sure that commands are not planned for memory readout during telemetry rate changes or a solid state recorder swap.

Eclipse - Apollo 12

NASA Image and Video Library

1980-08-05

S80-37406 (14-24 Nov. 1969) --- This photograph of the eclipse of the sun was taken with a 16mm motion picture camera from the Apollo 12 spacecraft during its trans-Earth journey home from the moon. The fascinating view was created when the Earth moved directly between the sun and the Apollo 12 spacecraft. Aboard Apollo 12 were astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., commander; Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot; and Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot. While astronauts Conrad and Bean descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Intrepid" to explore the Ocean of Storms region of the moon, astronaut Gordon remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Yankee Clipper" in lunar orbit.

Apollo 16 liftoff

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-04-16

S72-35347 (16 April 1972) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 16 (Spacecraft 113/Lunar Module 11/ Saturn 511) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 12:54:00.569 p.m. (EST), April 16, 1972, on a lunar landing mission. Aboard the Apollo 16 spacecraft were astronauts John W. Young, commander; Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands region of the moon, astronaut Mattingly remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

Astronauts Evans and Cernan aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-12-17

AS17-162-24053 (7-19 Dec. 1972) --- Scientist-astronaut Harrison H. "Jack" Schmitt, lunar module pilot, took this photograph of his two fellow crew men under zero-gravity conditions aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft during the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program. That is astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, commander, who is seemingly "right side up." Astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot, appears to be "upside down." While astronauts Cernan and Schmitt descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Challenger" to explore the Taurus-Littrow region of the moon, astronaut Evans remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "America" in lunar orbit.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-01-01

This cutaway illustration shows the Apollo Spacecraft with callouts of the major components. The spacecraft consisted of the lunar module, the service module, the command module, and the launch escape system.

Time maintenance system for the BMDO MSX spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hermes, Martin J.

1994-01-01

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is responsible for designing and implementing a clock maintenance system for the Ballistic Missile Defense Organizations (BMDO) Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) spacecraft. The MSX spacecraft has an on-board clock that will be used to control execution of time-dependent commands and to time tag all science and housekeeping data received from the spacecraft. MSX mission objectives have dictated that this spacecraft time, UTC(MSX), maintain a required accuracy with respect to UTC(USNO) of +/- 10 ms with a +/- 1 ms desired accuracy. APL's atomic time standards and the downlinked spacecraft time were used to develop a time maintenance system that will estimate the current MSX clock time offset during an APL pass and make estimates of the clock's drift and aging using the offset estimates from many passes. Using this information, the clock's accuracy will be maintained by uplinking periodic clock correction commands. The resulting time maintenance system is a combination of offset measurement, command/telemetry, and mission planning hardware and computing assets. All assets provide necessary inputs for deciding when corrections to the MSX spacecraft clock must be made to maintain its required accuracy without inhibiting other mission objectives. The MSX time maintenance system is described as a whole and the clock offset measurement subsystem, a unique combination of precision time maintenance and measurement hardware controlled by a Macintosh computer, is detailed. Simulations show that the system estimates the MSX clock offset to less than+/- 33 microseconds.

ISS Expedition 53 Undocking

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-14

Expedition 53 Commander Randy Bresnik of NASA, Soyuz Commander Sergey Ryazanskky of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Paolo Nespoli undocked their Soyuz spacecraft from the International Space Station for the return trip to Earth.

Timeliner: Automating Procedures on the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Robert; Braunstein, E.; Brunet, Rick; Grace, R.; Vu, T.; Zimpfer, Doug; Dwyer, William K.; Robinson, Emily

2002-01-01

Timeliner has been developed as a tool to automate procedural tasks. These tasks may be sequential tasks that would typically be performed by a human operator, or precisely ordered sequencing tasks that allow autonomous execution of a control process. The Timeliner system includes elements for compiling and executing sequences that are defined in the Timeliner language. The Timeliner language was specifically designed to allow easy definition of scripts that provide sequencing and control of complex systems. The execution environment provides real-time monitoring and control based on the commands and conditions defined in the Timeliner language. The Timeliner sequence control may be preprogrammed, compiled from Timeliner "scripts," or it may consist of real-time, interactive inputs from system operators. In general, the Timeliner system lowers the workload for mission or process control operations. In a mission environment, scripts can be used to automate spacecraft operations including autonomous or interactive vehicle control, performance of preflight and post-flight subsystem checkouts, or handling of failure detection and recovery. Timeliner may also be used for mission payload operations, such as stepping through pre-defined procedures of a scientific experiment.

Command History. United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam 1965. Sanitized

DTIC Science & Technology

1965-01-01

support elements within the ARM battalion 4 ese methods of encadrement were studied in relation to language , security, support, mutual US/ARYN acceptance...problema, and conditions and capabilities within ARYN units, Problew comn to all three methods were the language barrier, increased ewosure of US...DECCU•(ACV took the position that US assmption of command was neither feasible nor desirable, vwng to the language barrier as won as the probable non

Astronauts Young and Collins during water egress training

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-06-18

S66-39699 (18 June 1966) --- Astronauts John W. Young (in water, nose of spacecraft), Gemini-10 command pilot, and Michael Collins (sitting on spacecraft), pilot, use Static Article 6 spacecraft during water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. A team of Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) swimmers assisted in the training exercise. Photo credit: NASA

Expedition 16 Onboard

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-11

Live video from the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft of the International Space Station is shown on the screen in the Russian Mission Control Center in Korolev, outside Moscow, Friday, Oct. 12, 2007. Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, Soyuz Commander and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko and Malaysian spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor docked their Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft to the ISS at 10:50 a.m. EDT, October 12. The crew launched on Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Hard-real-time resource management for autonomous spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gat, E.

2000-01-01

This paper describes tickets, a computational mechanism for hard-real-time autonomous resource management. Autonomous spacecraftcontrol can be considered abstractly as a computational process whose outputs are spacecraft commands.

Apollo 9 prime crew inside Apollo command module boilerplate during training

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-11-05

S68-54850 (5 Nov. 1968) --- The prime crew of the Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/Saturn 504) space mission are seen inside an Apollo command module boilerplate during water egress training activity in the Gulf of Mexico. From foreground, are astronauts James A. McDivitt, commander; David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot.

Liftoff of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-07-16

S69-39961 (16 July 1969) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 11 (Spacecraft 107/Lunar Module S/Saturn 506) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), at 9:32 a.m. (EDT), July 16, 1969. Onboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft are astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Apollo 11 is the United States' first lunar landing mission. While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descend in the Lunar Module (LM) "Eagle" to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Collins will remain with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Columbia" in lunar orbit. Photo credit: NASA

Launch - Apollo XV Space Vehicle - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-07-26

S71-41356 (26 July 1971) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 15 (Spacecraft 112/Lunar Module 10/Saturn 510) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 9:34:00:79 a.m. (EDT), July 26, 1971, on a lunar landing mission. Aboard the Apollo 15 spacecraft were astronauts David R. Scott, commander; Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot; and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot. Apollo 15 is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) fourth manned lunar landing mission. While astronauts Scott and Irwin will descend in the Lunar Module (LM) to explore the moon, astronaut Worden will remain with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.

Autonomous Satellite Command and Control through the World Wide Web: Phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cantwell, Brian; Twiggs, Robert

1998-01-01

NASA's New Millenium Program (NMP) has identified a variety of revolutionary technologies that will support orders of magnitude improvements in the capabilities of spacecraft missions. This program's Autonomy team has focused on science and engineering automation technologies. In doing so, it has established a clear development roadmap specifying the experiments and demonstrations required to mature these technologies. The primary developmental thrusts of this roadmap are in the areas of remote agents, PI/operator interface, planning/scheduling fault management, and smart execution architectures. Phases 1 and 2 of the ASSET Project (previously known as the WebSat project) have focused on establishing World Wide Web-based commanding and telemetry services as an advanced means of interfacing a spacecraft system with the PI and operators. Current automated capabilities include Web-based command submission, limited contact scheduling, command list generation and transfer to the ground station, spacecraft support for demonstrations experiments, data transfer from the ground station back to the ASSET system, data archiving, and Web-based telemetry distribution. Phase 2 was finished in December 1996. During January-December 1997 work was commenced on Phase 3 of the ASSET Project. Phase 3 is the subject of this report. This phase permitted SSDL and its project partners to expand the ASSET system in a variety of ways. These added capabilities included the advancement of ground station capabilities, the adaptation of spacecraft on-board software, and the expansion of capabilities of the ASSET management algorithms. Specific goals of Phase 3 were: (1) Extend Web-based goal-level commanding for both the payload PI and the spacecraft engineer; (2) Support prioritized handling of multiple PIs as well as associated payload experimenters; (3) Expand the number and types of experiments supported by the ASSET system and its associated spacecraft; (4) Implement more advanced resource management, modeling and fault management capabilities that integrate the space and ground segments of the space system hardware; (5) Implement a beacon monitoring test; (6) Implement an experimental blackboard controller for space system management; (7) Further define typical ground station developments required for Internet-based remote control and for full system automation of the PI-to-spacecraft link. Each of those goals is examined in the next section. Significant sections of this report were also published as a conference paper.

Wireless Intra-Spacecraft Communication: The Benefits and the Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zheng, Will H.; Armstrong, John T.

2010-01-01

In this paper we present a systematic study of how intra-spacecraft wireless communication can be adopted to various subsystems of the spacecraft including C&DH (Command & Data Handling), Telecom, Power, Propulsion, and Payloads, and the interconnects between them. We discuss the advantages of intra-spacecraft wireless communication and the disadvantages and challenges and a proposal to address them.

Launch - Apollo XIV - Lunar Landing Mission - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-01-31

S71-18398 (31 Jan. 1971) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida at 4:03:02 p.m. (EST), Jan. 31, 1971, on a lunar landing mission. This view is framed by moss-covered dead trees in the dark foreground. Aboard the Apollo 14 spacecraft were astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

MMC M509 Temperature Test

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-03-10

S71-18399 (31 Jan. 1971) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida at 4:03:02 p.m. (EST), Jan. 31, 1971, on a lunar landing mission. This view is framed by moss-covered dead trees in the dark foreground. Aboard the Apollo 14 spacecraft were astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

APOLLO XV - (LIFTOFF) - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-07-26

S71-41810 (26 July 1971) --- The 363-feet tall Apollo 15 (Spacecraft 112/Lunar Module 10/Saturn 510) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 9:34:00.79 a.m., July 26, 1971, on a lunar landing mission. Aboard the Apollo 15 spacecraft were astronauts David R. Scott, commander; Alfred M. Worden, commander module pilot; and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot. Apollo 15 is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) fourth manned lunar landing mission.

Expedition 16 Onboard

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-11

Live video from the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft of the International Space Station is shown on the screen in the upper right in the Russian Mission Control Center in Korolev, outside Moscow, Friday, Oct. 12, 2007. Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, Soyuz Commander and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko and Malaysian spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor docked their Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft to the ISS at 10:50 a.m. EDT, October 12. The crew launched on Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

INFLIGHT - APOLLO X (CREW ACTIVITIES)

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-05-18

S69-33999 (18 May 1969) --- A close-up view of the face of astronaut, Thomas P. Stafford, Apollo 10 commander, is seen in this color reproduction taken from the third television transmission made by the color television camera aboard the Apollo 10 spacecraft. When this picture was made the Apollo 10 spacecraft was on a trans-lunar course, and was already about 36,000 nautical miles from Earth. Also, aboard Apollo 10 were astronauts John W. Young, command module pilot, and Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot.

Launch - Apollo 9 - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-03

S69-25881 (3 March 1969) --- The Apollo 9 crew leaves the Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building during the Apollo 9 prelaunch countdown. The crewman entered the special transfer van which transported them to their waiting spacecraft at Pad A, Launch Complex 39. Astronaut James A. McDivitt (back to camera) is the commander. McDivitt appears to be inviting astronaut David R. Scott, command module pilot, to step first into van. In background is astronaut Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. Walking along almost behind Schweickart is astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., chief, Astronaut Office, Manned Spacecraft Center. Apollo 9 was launched at 11 a.m. (EST), March 3, 1969, on a 10-day Earth-orbital mission.

DSN command system Mark III-78. [data processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stinnett, W. G.

1978-01-01

The Deep Space Network command Mark III-78 data processing system includes a capability for a store-and-forward handling method. The functions of (1) storing the command files at a Deep Space station; (2) attaching the files to a queue; and (3) radiating the commands to the spacecraft are straightforward. However, the total data processing capability is a result of assuming worst case, failure-recovery, or nonnominal operating conditions. Optional data processing functions include: file erase, clearing the queue, suspend radiation, command abort, resume command radiation, and close window time override.

PILOT: A Programming Language for Beginners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnorr, Janice M.

The presentation describes PILOT (Programmed Inquiry, Learning or Teaching), a special programing language easy for beginners to learn and available for several brands of microcomputers. PILOT is explained to contain substantially fewer commands than most other languages and to be written in an easy to understand manner. Edit commands and their…

Semantic definitions of space flight control center languages using the hierarchical graph technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaghloul, M. E.; Truszkowski, W.

1981-01-01

In this paper a method is described by which the semantic definitions of the Goddard Space Flight Control Center Command Languages can be specified. The semantic modeling facility used is an extension of the hierarchical graph technique, which has a major benefit of supporting a variety of data structures and a variety of control structures. It is particularly suited for the semantic descriptions of such types of languages where the detailed separation between the underlying operating system and the command language system is system dependent. These definitions were used in the definition of the Systems Test and Operation Language (STOL) of the Goddard Space Flight Center which is a command language that provides means for the user to communicate with payloads, application programs, and other ground system elements.

Apollo 16 astronauts in Apollo Command Module Mission Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, participates in extravehicular activity (EVA) training in bldg 5 at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). In the right background is Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. They are inside the Apollo Command Module Mission Simulator (31046); Mattingly (right foreground) and Duke (right backgroung) in the Apollo Command Module Mission Simulator for EVA simulation and training. Astronaut John W. Young, commander, can be seen in the left background (31047).

Reconfigurable Software for Controlling Formation Flying

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, Joseph B.

2006-01-01

Software for a system to control the trajectories of multiple spacecraft flying in formation is being developed to reflect underlying concepts of (1) a decentralized approach to guidance and control and (2) reconfigurability of the control system, including reconfigurability of the software and of control laws. The software is organized as a modular network of software tasks. The computational load for both determining relative trajectories and planning maneuvers is shared equally among all spacecraft in a cluster. The flexibility and robustness of the software are apparent in the fact that tasks can be added, removed, or replaced during flight. In a computational simulation of a representative formation-flying scenario, it was demonstrated that the following are among the services performed by the software: Uploading of commands from a ground station and distribution of the commands among the spacecraft, Autonomous initiation and reconfiguration of formations, Autonomous formation of teams through negotiations among the spacecraft, Working out details of high-level commands (e.g., shapes and sizes of geometrically complex formations), Implementation of a distributed guidance law providing autonomous optimization and assignment of target states, and Implementation of a decentralized, fuel-optimal, impulsive control law for planning maneuvers.

Providing Goal-Based Autonomy for Commanding a Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rabideau, Gregg; Chien, Steve; Liu, Ning

2008-01-01

A computer program for use aboard a scientific-exploration spacecraft autonomously selects among goals specified in high-level requests and generates corresponding sequences of low-level commands, understandable by spacecraft systems. (As used here, 'goals' signifies specific scientific observations.) From a dynamic, onboard set of goals that could oversubscribe spacecraft resources, the program selects a non-oversubscribing subset that maximizes a quality metric. In an early version of the program, the requested goals are assumed to have fixed starting times and durations. Goals can conflict by exceeding a limit on either the number of separate goals or the number of overlapping goals making demands on the same resource. The quality metric used in this version is chosen to ensure that a goal will never be replaced by another having lower priority. At any time, goals can be added or removed, or their priorities can be changed, and the 'best' goal will be selected. Once a goal has been selected, the program implements a robust, flexible approach to generation of low-level commands: Rather than generate rigid sequences with fixed starting times, the program specifies flexible sequences that can be altered to accommodate run time variations.

Apollo 12 Mission image - Astronaut Alan L. Bean,lunar module pilot,and two U.S. spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-11-20

AS12-48-7136 (20 Nov. 1969) --- Astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., commander, examines the unmanned Surveyor 3 spacecraft during the second Apollo 12 extravehicular activity (EVA). In the background is the lunar module, parked where the crew had landed it in the Ocean of Storms only 600 feet from Surveyor 3. This series of pictures documents the only occasion wherein Apollo astronauts landed near or had hands-on contact with another spacecraft which had arrived on the moon's surface well ahead of them. This picture was taken by astronaut Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot. The television camera and several other pieces were taken from Surveyor 3 and brought back to Earth for scientific examination. Surveyor 3 soft-landed on the moon on April 19, 1967. Astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit while astronauts Conrad and Bean descended in the LM to explore the moon. Photo credit: NASA

Open-systems architecture of a standardized command interface chip-set for switching and control of a spacecraft power bus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruiz, Ian B.; Burke, Gary R.; Lung, Gerald; Whitaker, William D.; Nowicki, Robert M.

2004-01-01

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has developed a command interface chip-set that primarily consists of two mixed-signal ASICs'; the Command Interface ASIC (CIA) and Analog Interface ASIC (AIA). The Open-systems architecture employed during the design of this chip-set enables its use as both an intelligent gateway between the system's flight computer and the control, actuation, and activation of the spacecraft's loads, valves, and pyrotechnics respectfully as well as the regulator of the spacecraft power bus. Furthermore, the architecture is highly adaptable and employed fault-tolerant design methods enabling a host of other mission uses including reliable remote data collection. The objective of this design is to both provide a needed flight component that meets the stringent environmental requirements of current deep space missions and to add a new element to a growing library that can be used as a standard building block for future missions to the outer planets.

Unit Testing and Remote Display Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Costa, Nicholas

2014-01-01

The Kennedy Space Center is currently undergoing an extremely interesting transitional phase. The final Space Shuttle mission, STS-135, was completed in July of 2011. NASA is now approaching a new era of space exploration. The development of the Orion Multi- Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) and the Space Launch System (SLS) launch vehicle that will launch the Orion are currently in progress. An important part of this transition involves replacing the Launch Processing System (LPS) which was previously used to process and launch Space Shuttles and their associated hardware. NASA is creating the Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) to replace the LPS. The SCCS will be much simpler to maintain and improve during the lifetime of the spaceflight program that it will support. The Launch Control System (LCS) is a portion of the SCCS that will be responsible for launching the rockets and spacecraft. The Integrated Launch Operations Applications (ILOA) group of SCCS is responsible for creating displays and scripts, both remote and local, that will be used to monitor and control hardware and systems needed to launch a spacecraft. It is crucial that the software contained within be thoroughly tested to ensure that it functions as intended. Unit tests must be written in Application Control Language (ACL), the scripting language used by LCS. These unit tests must ensure complete code coverage to safely guarantee there are no bugs or any kind of issue with the software.

Irreducible Tests for Space Mission Sequencing Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferguson, Lisa

2012-01-01

As missions extend further into space, the modeling and simulation of their every action and instruction becomes critical. The greater the distance between Earth and the spacecraft, the smaller the window for communication becomes. Therefore, through modeling and simulating the planned operations, the most efficient sequence of commands can be sent to the spacecraft. The Space Mission Sequencing Software is being developed as the next generation of sequencing software to ensure the most efficient communication to interplanetary and deep space mission spacecraft. Aside from efficiency, the software also checks to make sure that communication during a specified time is even possible, meaning that there is not a planet or moon preventing reception of a signal from Earth or that two opposing commands are being given simultaneously. In this way, the software not only models the proposed instructions to the spacecraft, but also validates the commands as well.To ensure that all spacecraft communications are sequenced properly, a timeline is used to structure the data. The created timelines are immutable and once data is as-signed to a timeline, it shall never be deleted nor renamed. This is to prevent the need for storing and filing the timelines for use by other programs. Several types of timelines can be created to accommodate different types of communications (activities, measurements, commands, states, events). Each of these timeline types requires specific parameters and all have options for additional parameters if needed. With so many combinations of parameters available, the robustness and stability of the software is a necessity. Therefore a baseline must be established to ensure the full functionality of the software and it is here where the irreducible tests come into use.

Trajectory Control of Rendezvous with Maneuver Target Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Zhinqiang

2012-01-01

In this paper, a nonlinear trajectory control algorithm of rendezvous with maneuvering target spacecraft is presented. The disturbance forces on the chaser and target spacecraft and the thrust forces on the chaser spacecraft are considered in the analysis. The control algorithm developed in this paper uses the relative distance and relative velocity between the target and chaser spacecraft as the inputs. A general formula of reference relative trajectory of the chaser spacecraft to the target spacecraft is developed and applied to four different proximity maneuvers, which are in-track circling, cross-track circling, in-track spiral rendezvous and cross-track spiral rendezvous. The closed-loop differential equations of the proximity relative motion with the control algorithm are derived. It is proven in the paper that the tracking errors between the commanded relative trajectory and the actual relative trajectory are bounded within a constant region determined by the control gains. The prediction of the tracking errors is obtained. Design examples are provided to show the implementation of the control algorithm. The simulation results show that the actual relative trajectory tracks the commanded relative trajectory tightly. The predicted tracking errors match those calculated in the simulation results. The control algorithm developed in this paper can also be applied to interception of maneuver target spacecraft and relative trajectory control of spacecraft formation flying.

Evolutionary Telemetry and Command Processor (TCP) architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, John R.

1992-01-01

A low cost, modular, high performance, and compact Telemetry and Command Processor (TCP) is being built as the foundation of command and data handling subsystems for the next generation of satellites. The TCP product line will support command and telemetry requirements for small to large spacecraft and from low to high rate data transmission. It is compatible with the latest TDRSS, STDN and SGLS transponders and provides CCSDS protocol communications in addition to standard TDM formats. Its high performance computer provides computing resources for hosted flight software. Layered and modular software provides common services using standardized interfaces to applications thereby enhancing software re-use, transportability, and interoperability. The TCP architecture is based on existing standards, distributed networking, distributed and open system computing, and packet technology. The first TCP application is planned for the 94 SDIO SPAS 3 mission. The architecture enhances rapid tailoring of functions thereby reducing costs and schedules developed for individual spacecraft missions.

An application of computer aided requirements analysis to a real time deep space system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farny, A. M.; Morris, R. V.; Hartsough, C.; Callender, E. D.; Teichroew, D.; Chikofsky, E.

1981-01-01

The entire procedure of incorporating the requirements and goals of a space flight project into integrated, time ordered sequences of spacecraft commands, is called the uplink process. The Uplink Process Control Task (UPCT) was created to examine the uplink process and determine ways to improve it. The Problem Statement Language/Problem Statement Analyzer (PSL/PSA) designed to assist the designer/analyst/engineer in the preparation of specifications of an information system is used as a supporting tool to aid in the analysis. Attention is given to a definition of the uplink process, the definition of PSL/PSA, the construction of a PSA database, the value of analysis to the study of the uplink process, and the PSL/PSA lessons learned.

An Architecture to Promote the Commercialization of Space Mission Command and Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Michael K.

1996-01-01

This paper describes a command and control architecture that encompasses space mission operations centers, ground terminals, and spacecraft. This architecture is intended to promote the growth of a lucrative space mission operations command and control market through a set of open standards used by both gevernment and profit-making space mission operators.

United States European Command

Science.gov Websites

content on the U.S. European Command website may be translated by selecting a different language on the header. Except where otherwise noted, the language translation is performed by Google Translate, a third

ITOS meteorological satellite system: TIROS M spacecraft (ITOS 1), volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1970-01-01

The ITOS system and mission are described along with the design of the TIROS M spacecraft, and the ITOS ground complex. The command subsystems, and the primary environmental sensor subsystem are discussed.

On-board emergent scheduling of autonomous spacecraft payload operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindley, Craig A.

1994-01-01

This paper describes a behavioral competency level concerned with emergent scheduling of spacecraft payload operations. The level is part of a multi-level subsumption architecture model for autonomous spacecraft, and it functions as an action selection system for processing a spacecraft commands that can be considered as 'plans-as-communication'. Several versions of the selection mechanism are described, and their robustness is qualitatively compared.

Technology forecasting for space communication. [analysis of systems for application to Spacecraft Data and Tracking Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

A study was conducted to determine techniques for application to space communication. The subjects considered are as follows: (1) optical communication systems, (2) laser communications for data acquisition networks, (3) spacecraft data rate requirements, (4) telemetry, command, and data handling, (5) spacecraft tracking and data network antenna and preamplifier cost tradeoff study, and (6) spacecraft communication terminal evaluation.

MPS Editor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathews, William S.; Liu, Ning; Francis, Laurie K.; OReilly, Taifun L.; Schrock, Mitchell; Page, Dennis N.; Morris, John R.; Joswig, Joseph C.; Crockett, Thomas M.; Shams, Khawaja S.

2011-01-01

Previously, it was time-consuming to hand-edit data and then set up simulation runs to find the effect and impact of the input data on a spacecraft. MPS Editor provides the user the capability to create/edit/update models and sequences, and immediately try them out using what appears to the user as one piece of software. MPS Editor provides an integrated sequencing environment for users. It provides them with software that can be utilized during development as well as actual operations. In addition, it provides them with a single, consistent, user friendly interface. MPS Editor uses the Eclipse Rich Client Platform to provide an environment that can be tailored to specific missions. It provides the capability to create and edit, and includes an Activity Dictionary to build the simulation spacecraft models, build and edit sequences of commands, and model the effects of those commands on the spacecraft. MPS Editor is written in Java using the Eclipse Rich Client Platform. It is currently built with four perspectives: the Activity Dictionary Perspective, the Project Adaptation Perspective, the Sequence Building Perspective, and the Sequence Modeling Perspective. Each perspective performs a given task. If a mission doesn't require that task, the unneeded perspective is not added to that project's delivery. In the Activity Dictionary Perspective, the user builds the project-specific activities, observations, calibrations, etc. Typically, this is used during the development phases of the mission, although it can be used later to make changes and updates to the Project Activity Dictionary. In the Adaptation Perspective, the user creates the spacecraft models such as power, data store, etc. Again, this is typically used during development, but will be used to update or add models of the spacecraft. The Sequence Building Perspective allows the user to create a sequence of activities or commands that go to the spacecraft. It provides a simulation of the activities and commands that have been created.

Astronaut Walter Schirra egresses spacecraft during recovery operations

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-10-22

Astronaut Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Apollo 7 commander, egresses the spacecraft during recovery operations in the Atlantic. He is assisted by a member of the U.S. Navy frogman team. The Apollo 7 spacecraft splashed down at 7:11 a.m., October 22, 1968, approximately 200 nautical miles south-southwest of Bermuda.

Magellan attitude control mission operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dukes, Eileen M.

1993-01-01

From the Martin Marietta Astronautics Group base in Denver, Colorado, spacecraft engineers have been operating the Magellan spacecraft for the past three and one half years, along with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, for NASA. The spacecraft team in Denver is responsible for the health of the vehicle, from command generation to evaluation of engineering telemetry. Operation of the spacecraft's Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS) has specifically posed several in-flight challenges. This system must provide accurate pointing of the spacecraft throughout each 3.2 hour orbit which typically consists of 5 - 9 discrete maneuvers. Preparation of bi-weekly command sequences, monitoring execution, and trending of subsystem performance is of paramount importance, but in-flight anomalies have also demanded the attention of AACS engineers. Anomalies are often very interesting and challenging aspects of a project, and the Magellan mission was no exception. From the first unsuccessful attempts to perform a starscan, to spacecraft safing events, much has been experienced to add to the `lessons learned' from this mission. Many of Magellan's in-flight experiences, anomalies, and their resolutions are highlighted in this paper.

Magellan attitude control mission operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dukes, Eileen M.

From the Martin Marietta Astronautics Group base in Denver, Colorado, spacecraft engineers have been operating the Magellan spacecraft for the past three and one half years, along with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, for NASA. The spacecraft team in Denver is responsible for the health of the vehicle, from command generation to evaluation of engineering telemetry. Operation of the spacecraft's Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem (AACS) has specifically posed several in-flight challenges. This system must provide accurate pointing of the spacecraft throughout each 3.2 hour orbit which typically consists of 5 - 9 discrete maneuvers. Preparation of bi-weekly command sequences, monitoring execution, and trending of subsystem performance is of paramount importance, but in-flight anomalies have also demanded the attention of AACS engineers. Anomalies are often very interesting and challenging aspects of a project, and the Magellan mission was no exception. From the first unsuccessful attempts to perform a starscan, to spacecraft safing events, much has been experienced to add to the `lessons learned' from this mission. Many of Magellan's in-flight experiences, anomalies, and their resolutions are highlighted in this paper.

Mission operations and command assurance: Instilling quality into flight operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welz, Linda L.; Witkowski, Mona M.; Bruno, Kristin J.; Potts, Sherrill S.

1993-01-01

Mission Operations and Command Assurance (MO&CA) is a Total Quality Management (TQM) task on JPL projects to instill quality in flight mission operations. From a system engineering view, MO&CA facilitates communication and problem-solving among flight teams and provides continuous process improvement to reduce the probability of radiating incorrect commands to a spacecraft. The MO&CA task has evolved from participating as a member of the spacecraft team to an independent team reporting directly to flight project management and providing system level assurance. JPL flight projects have benefited significantly from MO&CA's effort to contain risk and prevent rather than rework errors. MO&CA's ability to provide direct transfer of knowledge allows new projects to benefit from previous and ongoing flight experience.

NASA's spacecraft data system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cudmore, Alan; Flanegan, Mark

1993-01-01

The NASA Small Explorer Data System (SEDS), a space flight data system developed to support the Small Explorer (SMEX) project, is addressed. The system was flown on the Solar Anomalous Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) SMEX mission, and with reconfiguration for different requirements will fly on the X-ray Timing Explorer (XTE) and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). SEDS is also foreseen for the Hubble repair mission. Its name was changed to Spacecraft Data System (SDS) in view of expansions. Objectives, SDS hardware, and software are described. Each SDS box contains two computers, data storage memory, uplink (command) reception circuitry, downlink (telemetry) encoding circuitry, Instrument Telemetry Controller (ITC), and spacecraft timing circuitry. The SDS communicates with other subsystems over the MIL-STD-1773 data bus. The SDS software uses a real time Operating System (OS) and the C language. The OS layer, communications and scheduling layer, application task layer, and diagnostic software, are described. Decisions on the use of advanced technologies, such as ASIC's (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) and fiber optics, led to technical improvements, such as lower power and weight, without increasing the risk associated with the data system. The result was a successful SAMPEX development, integration and test, and mission using SEDS, and the upgrading of that system to SDS for TRMM and XTE.

Technicians prepare to close hatches on Gemini 12 spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

Technicians prepare to close the hatches of the Gemini 12 spacecraft in the White Room atop Pad 19 after insertion of Astronauts James A. Lovell Jr. (leading), command pilot, and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., pilot.

X-Band Acquisition Aid Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Britcliffe, Michael J.; Strain, Martha M.; Wert, Michael

2011-01-01

The X-band Acquisition Aid (AAP) software is a low-cost acquisition aid for the Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas, and is used while acquiring a spacecraft shortly after it has launched. When enabled, the acquisition aid provides corrections to the antenna-predicted trajectory of the spacecraft to compensate for the variations that occur during the actual launch. The AAP software also provides the corrections to the antenna-predicted trajectory to the navigation team that uses the corrections to refine their model of the spacecraft in order to produce improved antenna-predicted trajectories for each spacecraft that passes over each complex. The software provides an automated Acquisition Aid receiver calibration, and provides graphical displays to the operator and remote viewers via an Ethernet connection. It has a Web server, and the remote workstations use the Firefox browser to view the displays. At any given time, only one operator can control any particular display in order to avoid conflicting commands from more than one control point. The configuration and control is accomplished solely via the graphical displays. The operator does not have to remember any commands. Only a few configuration parameters need to be changed, and can be saved to the appropriate spacecraft-dependent configuration file on the AAP s hard disk. AAP automates the calibration sequence by first commanding the antenna to the correct position, starting the receiver calibration sequence, and then providing the operator with the option of accepting or rejecting the new calibration parameters. If accepted, the new parameters are stored in the appropriate spacecraft-dependent configuration file. The calibration can be performed on the Sun, greatly expanding the window of opportunity for calibration. The spacecraft traditionally used for calibration is in view typically twice per day, and only for about ten minutes each pass.

View of Mission Control Center during the Apollo 13 oxygen cell failure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1970-01-01

Several persons important to the Apollo 13 mission, at consoles in the Mission Operations Control Room of the Mission Control Center (MCC). Seated at consoles, from left to right, are Astronaut Donald K. Slayton, Director of Flight Crew Operations; Astronaut Jack R. Lousma, Shift 3 spacecraft communicator; and Astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 13 back-up crew. Standing, left to right, are Astronaut Tom K. Mattingly, who was replaced as Apollo 13 command module pilot after it was learned he may come down with measles, and Astronaut Vance D. Brand, Shift 2 spacecraft communicator. Several hours earlier crew members of the Apollo 13 mission reported to MCC that trouble had developed with an oxygen cell in their spacecraft.

PRELAUNCH - (SUITING-UP) APOLLO 15 - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-07-26

S71-41408 (26 July 1971) --- The three Apollo 15 astronauts go through suiting up operations in the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) during the Apollo 15 prelaunch countdown. They are David R. Scott (foreground), commander; Alfred M. Worden (center), command module pilot; and James B. Irwin (background), lunar module pilot. Minutes later the crew rode a special transport van over to Pad A, Launch Complex 39, where their spacecraft awaited them. With the crew was Dr. Donald (Deke) K. Slayton (wearing dark blue sport shirt), director of Flight Crew Operations, Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). The Apollo 15 space vehicle was launched at 9:34:00:79 a.m. (EDT), July 26, 1971, on a lunar landing mission.

Plan recognition and generalization in command languages with application to telerobotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yared, Wael I.; Sheridan, Thomas B.

1991-01-01

A method for pragmatic inference as a necessary accompaniment to command languages is proposed. The approach taken focuses on the modeling and recognition of the human operator's intent, which relates sequences of domain actions ('plans') to changes in some model of the task environment. The salient feature of this module is that it captures some of the physical and linguistic contextual aspects of an instruction. This provides a basis for generalization and reinterpretation of the instruction in different task environments. The theoretical development is founded on previous work in computational linguistics and some recent models in the theory of action and intention. To illustrate these ideas, an experimental command language to a telerobot is implemented. The program consists of three different components: a robot graphic simulation, the command language itself, and the domain-independent pragmatic inference module. Examples of task instruction processes are provided to demonstrate the benefits of this approach.

Launch - Apollo 14 Lunar Landing Mission - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-01-31

S71-17620 (31 Jan. 1971) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 4:03:02 p.m. (EST), Jan. 31, 1981, on a lunar landing mission. This view of the liftoff was taken by a camera mounted on the mobile launch tower. Aboard the Apollo 14 spacecraft were astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

ASTRONAUT GROUP - GT-6 AND GT-7 CREWS - WELCOME

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-12-19

S65-66728 (19 Dec. 1965) --- This happy round of handshakes took place in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building crew quarters, Merritt Island, as the Gemini-6 crew (left) welcomed the Gemini-7 crew back to the Kennedy Space Center. Left to right, are astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., Gemini-6 command pilot; Thomas P. Stafford, Gemini-6 pilot; Frank Borman, Gemini-7 command pilot; James A. Lovell Jr., Gemini-7 pilot; and Donald K. Slayton (partially hidden behind Lovell), assistant director for Flight Crew Operations, Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston. Photo credit: NASA

APOLLO XII - LAUNCH DAY ACTIVITIES - LAUNCH COMPLEX 39A - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-11-14

S69-58880 (14 Nov. 1969) --- Astronaut Alan L. Bean, Apollo 12 lunar module pilot, suits up in the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Manned Spacecraft Operations Building during the Apollo 12 prelaunch countdown. Minutes later astronauts Bean; Charles Conrad Jr., commander; and Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot, rode a special transport van over to Pad A, Launch Complex 39, where their spacecraft awaited. The Apollo 12 liftoff occurred at 11:22 a.m. (EST), Nov. 14, 1969. Apollo 12 is the United States' second lunar landing mission.

View of White Room atop Pad A during Apollo 9 Countdown Demonstration Test

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-02-23

S69-25884 (23 Feb. 1969) --- Interior view of the white room atop Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, during Apollo 9 Countdown Demonstration Test activity. Standing next to spacecraft hatch is astronaut James A. McDivitt, commander. Also, taking part in the training exercise were astronauts David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. The Apollo 9 mission will evaluate spacecraft lunar module systems performance during manned Earth-orbital flight. Apollo 9 will be the second manned Saturn V mission.

INFLIGHT - APOLLO 10 (CREW ACTIVITIES)

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-05-20

S69-34313 (20 May 1969) --- Astronaut Eugene A. Cernan is shown spinning a water bag to demonstrate the collection of hydrogen bubbles in this color reproduction taken from the fifth telecast made by the color television camera aboard the Apollo 10 spacecraft. When this picture was made the Apollo 10 spacecraft was approximately 175,300 nautical miles from Earth, and only 43,650 nautical miles from the moon. Cernan is the Apollo 10 lunar module pilot. Also, aboard Apollo 10 were astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, commander; and John W. Young, command module pilot.

Development of the functional simulator for the Galileo attitude and articulation control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Namiri, M. K.

1983-01-01

A simulation program for verifying and checking the performance of the Galileo Spacecraft's Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem's (AACS) flight software is discussed. The program, which is called Functional Simulator (FUNSIM), provides a simple method of interfacing user-supplied mathematical models coded in FORTRAN which describes spacecraft dynamics, sensors, and actuators; this is done with the AACS flight software, coded in HAL/S (High-level Advanced Language/Shuttle). It is thus able to simulate the AACS flight software accurately to the HAL/S statement level in the environment of a mainframe computer system. FUNSIM also has a command and data subsystem (CDS) simulator. It is noted that the input/output data and timing are simulated with the same precision as the flight microprocessor. FUNSIM uses a variable stepsize numerical integration algorithm complete with individual error bound control on the state variable to solve the equations of motion. The program has been designed to provide both line printer and matrix dot plotting of the variables requested in the run section and to provide error diagnostics.

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 1: The language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.

1988-01-01

This is the first set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language CLAMP, the command language interpreter CLIP, and the data manager GAL. Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP, and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 1 presents the basic elements of the CLAMP language and is intended for all users.

Technicians prepare to close hatches on Gemini 11 spacecraft during countdown

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

Technicians in the White Room atop Pad 19 prepare to close hatches on the Gemini 11 spacecraft during prelaunch countdown. Inside the spacecraft are Astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., command pilot, and Richard F. Gordon Jr., pilot. There is a humorous sign stating 'This is ABSOLUTELY your Last Chance' being held by one of the technicians.

Strategies for automatic planning: A collection of ideas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Carol; George, Julia; Zamani, Elaine

1989-01-01

The main goal of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is to obtain science return from interplanetary probes. The uplink process is concerned with communicating commands to a spacecraft in order to achieve science objectives. There are two main parts to the development of the command file which is sent to a spacecraft. First, the activity planning process integrates the science requests for utilization of spacecraft time into a feasible sequence. Then the command generation process converts the sequence into a set of commands. The development of a feasible sequence plan is an expensive and labor intensive process requiring many months of effort. In order to save time and manpower in the uplink process, automation of parts of this process is desired. There is an ongoing effort to develop automatic planning systems. This has met with some success, but has also been informative about the nature of this effort. It is now clear that innovative techniques and state-of-the-art technology will be required in order to produce a system which can provide automatic sequence planning. As part of this effort to develop automatic planning systems, a survey of the literature, looking for known techniques which may be applicable to our work was conducted. Descriptions of and references for these methods are given, together with ideas for applying the techniques to automatic planning.

Simple proteomics data analysis in the object-oriented PowerShell.

PubMed

Mohammed, Yassene; Palmblad, Magnus

2013-01-01

Scripting languages such as Perl and Python are appreciated for solving simple, everyday tasks in bioinformatics. A more recent, object-oriented command shell and scripting language, Windows PowerShell, has many attractive features: an object-oriented interactive command line, fluent navigation and manipulation of XML files, ability to consume Web services from the command line, consistent syntax and grammar, rich regular expressions, and advanced output formatting. The key difference between classical command shells and scripting languages, such as bash, and object-oriented ones, such as PowerShell, is that in the latter the result of a command is a structured object with inherited properties and methods rather than a simple stream of characters. Conveniently, PowerShell is included in all new releases of Microsoft Windows and therefore already installed on most computers in classrooms and teaching labs. In this chapter we demonstrate how PowerShell in particular allows easy interaction with mass spectrometry data in XML formats, connection to Web services for tools such as BLAST, and presentation of results as formatted text or graphics. These features make PowerShell much more than "yet another scripting language."

Adjustable impedance, force feedback and command language aids for telerobotics (parts 1-4 of an 8-part MIT progress report)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheridan, Thomas B.; Raju, G. Jagganath; Buzan, Forrest T.; Yared, Wael; Park, Jong

1989-01-01

Projects recently completed or in progress at MIT Man-Machine Systems Laboratory are summarized. (1) A 2-part impedance network model of a single degree of freedom remote manipulation system is presented in which a human operator at the master port interacts with a task object at the slave port in a remote location is presented. (2) The extension of the predictor concept to include force feedback and dynamic modeling of the manipulator and the environment is addressed. (3) A system was constructed to infer intent from the operator's commands and the teleoperation context, and generalize this information to interpret future commands. (4) A command language system is being designed that is robust, easy to learn, and has more natural man-machine communication. A general telerobot problem selected as an important command language context is finding a collision-free path for a robot.

Automated Sequence Generation Process and Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gladden, Roy

2007-01-01

"Automated sequence generation" (autogen) signifies both a process and software used to automatically generate sequences of commands to operate various spacecraft. The autogen software comprises the autogen script plus the Activity Plan Generator (APGEN) program. APGEN can be used for planning missions and command sequences.

PORTRAIT - APOLLO 7 - PRIME CREW - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-05-22

S68-33744 (22 May 1968) --- The prime crew of the first manned Apollo space mission, Apollo 7 (Spacecraft 101/Saturn 205), left to right, are astronauts Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot, Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; and Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot.

U.S.S. Bennington during recovery operations for Apollo 4

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-11-09

U.S.S. Bennington comes alongside the floating Apollo spacecraft 017 Command Module during recovery operations in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The Command Module splashed down at 3:37 p.m., November 9, 1967, 934 nautical miles northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Liftoff - Apollo XI - Lunar Landing Mission - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-07-16

S69-39962 (16 July 1969) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 11 (Spacecraft 107/Lunar Module 5/Saturn 506) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), at 9:32 a.m. (EDT), July 16, 1969. Aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Apollo 11 is the United States' first lunar landing mission. This view of the liftoff was taken by a camera mounted on the mobile launch tower. While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descend in the Lunar Module (LM) "Eagle" to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Collins will remain with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Columbia" in lunar orbit.

Liftoff of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-07-16

S69-39959 (16 July 1969) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 11 (Spacecraft 107/Lunar Module 5/ Saturn 506) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), at 9:32 a.m. (EDT), July 16, 1969. Aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Apollo 11 is the United States' first lunar landing mission. This view of the liftoff was taken by a camera mounted on the mobile launch tower. While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descend in the Lunar Module (LM) "Eagle" to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Collins will remain with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Columbia" in lunar orbit. Photo credit: NASA

Construction of a General Purpose Command Language for Use in Computer Dialog.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

Page 1 Skeletal Command Action File...............35 2 Sample from Cyber Action File.................36 3 Program MONITOR Structure Chart...return indicates subroutine call and no return Fig 3. Program MONITOR Structure Chart 48 IV. Validation The general purpose command language was...executive control of these functions, in C addition to its role as interpreter. C C The structure , concept, design, and implementation of program C

APOLLO IX - ART CONCEPTS - EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY (EVA)

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-02-06

S69-18546 (February 1969) --- North American Rockwell artist's concept illustrating the docking of the Lunar Module ascent stage with the Command and Service Modules during the Apollo 9 mission. The two figures in the Lunar Module represent astronauts James A. McDivitt, Apollo 9 commander; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. The figure in the Command Module represents astronaut David R. Scott, command module pilot. The Apollo 9 mission will evaluate spacecraft lunar module systems performance during manned Earth-orbital flight.

Quantitative and qualitative microbiological profiles of the Apollo 10 and 11 spacecraft.

PubMed

Puleo, J R; Oxborrow, G S; Fields, N D; Hall, H E

1970-09-01

Microbiological profiles were determined for surfaces of the command module, lunar module (ascent and descent stages), instrument unit, Saturn S-4B stage, and the spacecraft lunar module adapter of the Apollo 10 and 11 spacecraft. Average levels of contamination of the command module were 2.1 x 10(4) and 2.7 x 10(4) microorganisms per ft(2) for Apollo 10 and 11, respectively. With the exception of the exterior surfaces of the ascent stage of the lunar module and the interior surfaces of the command module, average levels of microbial contamination on all components of the Apollo 11 were found to be lower than those observed on Apollo 10. For each Apollo mission, approximately 2,000 colonies were picked from a variety of media and identified. The results showed that approximately 95% of all isolates were those considered indigenous to humans; the remaining were associated with soil and dust in the environment. However, the ratio of these two general groups varied depending on the degrees of personnel density and environmental control associated with each module.

Navy frogmen attach flotation collar to Apollo 7 command module

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-10-22

U.S. Navy frogmen attach a flotation collar to the Apollo 7 command module during recovery operations in the Atlantic. The Apollo 7 spacecraft splashed down at 7:11 a.m., October 22, 1968, approximately 200 nautical miles south-southwest of Bermuda.

Portrait - Apollo 9 Prime Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-12-18

S69-17590 (18 Dec. 1968) --- These three astronauts are the prime crew of the Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/ Lunar Module 3/ Saturn 504) space mission. Left to right, are James A. McDivitt, commander; David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot.

Process-oriented Approach to Designing Immersion Assessments

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

Command (USSOCOM) Command Language Program Manager (CLPM) Advanced Competencies Course in a presentation titled, The Language Needs Assessment Process and...Techniques can be very similar • Physical v. psychological fidelity • Johns (2006) Discrete Context—task, social and physical • 4Ps : Purpose

Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, C. G.; Grimwood, J. M.; Swenson, L. S., Jr.

1979-01-01

Beginning with the challenges presented by Sputnik 1 in 1957, and the formation of NASA, the apollo lunar exploration program is reviewed through Apollo Flight 11. The focal points are the spacecraft including the command and service modules, and the lunar module.

APOLLO SOYUZ TEST PROJECT [ASTP] SPACECRAFT FULL SCALE MODEL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Model of docked Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft in the foreground and skylight in the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay frame the second stage of the Saturn 1B booster that will launch the United States ASTP mission as a crane raises it prior to its mating with the Saturn 1B first stage. Mating of the Saturn 1B first and second stages was completed this morning. The U. S. ASTP launch with mission commander Thomas Stafford, command module pilot Vance Brand and docking module pilot Donald Slayton is scheduled at 3:50 p.m. EDT July 15.

Apollo 9 Mission image - Top view of the Lunar Module (LM) spacecraft from the Command Module (CM)

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-03

The Lunar Module (LM) 3 "Spider",still attached to the Saturn V third (S-IVB) stage,is photographed from the Command/Service Module (CSM) "Gumdrop" on the first day of the Apollo 9 Earth-orbital mission. This picture was taken following CSM/LM-S-IVB separation,and prior to LM extraction from the S-IVB. The Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter (SLA) panels have already been jettisoned. Film magazine was A,film type was SO-368 Ektachrome with 0.460 - 0.710 micrometers film / filter transmittance response and haze filter, 80mm lens.

Astronaut Edwin Aldrin makes sandwich in zero gravity condition

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-07-22

S69-39724 (22 July 1969) --- Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Apollo 11 lunar module pilot, performs for his Earth-bound television audience, in this color reproduction taken from a TV transmission, from the Apollo 11 spacecraft during its trans-Earth journey home from the moon. Aldrin illustrates how to make a sandwich under zero-gravity conditions. When this picture was made, Apollo 11 was approximately 137,000 nautical miles from Earth, traveling at a speed of about 4,300 feet per second. Also, aboard the spacecraft were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; and Michael Collins, command module pilot.

Soyuz Spacecraft Transported to Launch Pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft and its booster rocket (front view) is shown on a rail car for transport to the launch pad where it was raised to a vertical launch position at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on October 16, 2003. Liftoff occurred on October 18th, transporting a three man crew to the International Space Station (ISS). Aboard were Michael Foale, Expedition-8 Commander and NASA science officer; Alexander Kaleri, Soyuz Commander and flight engineer, both members of the Expedition-8 crew; and European Space agency (ESA) Astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain. Photo Credit: 'NASA/Bill Ingalls'

Soyuz Spacecraft Transported to Launch Pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft and its booster rocket (rear view) is shown on a rail car for transport to the launch pad where it was raised to a vertical launch position at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on October 16, 2003. Liftoff occurred on October 18th, transporting a three man crew to the International Space Station (ISS). Aboard were Michael Foale, Expedition-8 Commander and NASA science officer; Alexander Kaleri, Soyuz Commander and flight engineer, both members of the Expedition-8 crew; and European Space agency (ESA) Astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain. Photo Credit: 'NASA/Bill Ingalls'

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-9 COMMAND PILOT (FAMILIARIZATION) - ASTRONAUT THOMAS P. STAFFORD - TRAINING - MCDONNELL AIRCRAFT CORP. (MDAC), MO

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-02-08

S66-23592 (8 Feb. 1966) --- Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, command pilot of the Gemini-9 prime crew, undergoes familiarization training with the Gemini-9 spacecraft at the McDonnell plant in St. Louis. Photo credit: NASA

ISS Expedition 54-55 Docking, Hatch Opening and Welcome Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-19

After launching Dec. 17 in their Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Expedition 54-55 Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and Flight Engineers Scott Tingle of NASA and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) arrived at the International Space Station Dec. 19 to complete a two-day journey, docking their vehicle to the Rassvet module on the Russian segment of the complex. A few hours after docking their Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft to the International Space Station, Expedition 54-55 Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos and Flight Engineers Scott Tingle of NASA and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), opened hatches and were greeted by station Commander Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos and Flight Engineers Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei of NASA.

Apollo 16 Press Kit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The Apollo 16 spacecraft is scheduled for launch on Apr. 16, 1972 from Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida by the Saturn V launch vehicle. Crewmen are mission commander John W. Young, command module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II and lunar module pilot Charles M. Duke Jr. Objectives of the mission, to last up to 12 days, as outlined by NASA: to perform selenological inspection, survey and sampling of materials in a preselected region of Descartes using a lunar roving' vehicle; deploy and activate Apollo surface experiments; develop man's capability to work in the lunar environment; obtain photographs of candidate exploration sites; and toconduct inflight experiments and photographic tasks in lunar orbit. Following launch, the spacecraft will reach Earth Parking Orbit and remain in orbit for about two and one-half revolutions prior to Translunar Injection. Next, the Command and Service Module docks with the Lunar Module and the spacecraft "coasts" to the moon. In orbit around the moon, the Command and Service Module/Lunar Module combination will descend to within 50,000 feet of the lunar surface before undocking. The Lunar Module will continue to descend while the Command and Service Module returns to an orbit approximately 60 miles high. Stay time on the lunar surface is scheduled for approximately 73 hours. The ascent stage of the Lunar Module then lifts the astronauts back into lunar orbit where they will dock with the Command/Service Module. The Lunar Module is jettisoned and Transearth Injection follows. Just prior to reentry into the earth's atmosphere, the Service Module is jettisoned, and the astronauts in the Command Module splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The target point for end-of-mission splashdown is at 05 degrees 0 minutes north latitude and 158 degrees 40 minutes west longitude or approximately 985 nautical miles south of Honolulu, Hawaii. Splashdown is scheduled for Apr. 28, 1972 at 10:30 a.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (2:30 p.m. CST). Recovery forces for Apollo 16, stationed in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, will consist of three ships, nine aircraft and nearly 1,700 personnel. CTF-130 (Manned Spacecraft Recovery Force, Pacific) forces will be stationed south of Hawaii. Three ships, eight helicopters and three Air Force HC-130H aircraft, and nearly 1,100 personnel, will take part. Task Force 140 (Manned Spacecraft Recovery Force, Atlantic), comprising one ship, six HC-130H aircraft, three helicopters and approximately 300 personnel, will be positioned for possible launch abort operations. Two ships in the Atlantic will also be used for acoustical testing. Other forces, primarily aircraft and personnel of the Air Force Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service will be on alert around the world for contingency recovery support.

U.S.S. Hornet moves toward the Apollo 12 Command Module to retrieve it

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-11-24

U.S.S. Hornet, prime recovery vessel for the Apollo 12 lunar landing mission, moves toward the Apollo 12 Command Module to retrieve the spacecraft. A helicopter from the recovery ship, which took part in the recovery operations, hovers over the scene of the splashdown.

Apollo 8 prime crew stand beside gondola for centrifuge training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

The Apollo 8 prime crew stands beside the gondola in bldg 29 after suiting up for centrifuge training in the Manned Spacecraft Center's (MSC) Flight Acceleration Facility. Left to right, are Astronauts William A. Anders, lunar module pilot; James A. Lovell Jr.,command module pilot; and Frank Borman, commander.

ASTRONAUT LOVELL, JAMES A., JR. - APOLLO VIII (GUIDANCE & NAVIGATION [G&N])

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-05-25

S69-35099 (21-27 Dec. 1968) --- Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., Apollo 8 command module pilot, is seen at the Apollo 8 Spacecraft Command Module's Guidance and Navigation station during the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission. This picture was taken from 16mm motion picture film.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-06-03

Pictured left to right, in the Apollo 7 Crew Portrait, are astronauts R. Walter Cunningham, Lunar Module pilot; Walter M. Schirra, Jr., commander; and Donn F. Eisele, Command Module Pilot. The Apollo 7 mission, boosted by a Saturn IB launch vehicle on October 11, 1968, was the first manned flight of the Apollo spacecraft.

Atmosphere Explorer control system software (version 2.0)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mocarsky, W.; Villasenor, A.

1973-01-01

The Atmosphere Explorer Control System (AECS) was developed to provide automatic computer control of the Atmosphere Explorer spacecraft and experiments. The software performs several vital functions, such as issuing commands to the spacecraft and experiments, receiving and processing telemetry data, and allowing for extensive data processing by experiment analysis programs. The AECS was written for a 48K XEROX Data System Sigma 5 computer, and coexists in core with the XDS Real-time Batch Monitor (RBM) executive system. RBM is a flexible operating system designed for a real-time foreground/background environment, and hence is ideally suited for this application. Existing capabilities of RBM have been used as much as possible by AECS to minimize programming redundancy. The most important functions of the AECS are to send commands to the spacecraft and experiments, and to receive, process, and display telemetry data.

Saturn V Arrives at Launch Pad Complex 39

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

The Saturn V launch vehicle (AS-506) carrying the Apollo 11 spacecraft, arrived at the launch pad complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on May 20, 1969. On July 16, 1969, the 363 foot tall, 6,400,000 pound rocket, developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) under the direction of Werner von Braun, hurled the spacecraft into Earth parking orbit and then placed it on the trajectory to the moon for man's first lunar landing. Aboard the spacecraft were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, Command Module (CM) pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Lunar Module (LM) pilot. The crew safely splashed down into the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. With the success of Apollo 11, the national objective to land men on the Moon and return them safely to Earth had been accomplished.

View of Mission Control Center during the Apollo 13 oxygen cell failure

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-04-14

S70-34902 (14 April 1970) --- Several persons important to the Apollo 13 mission, at consoles in the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) of the Mission Control Center (MCC). Seated at consoles, from left to right, are astronauts Donald K. Slayton, director of flight crew operations; astronaut Jack R. Lousma, Shift 3 spacecraft communicator; and astronaut John W. Young, commander of the Apollo 13 backup crew. Standing, left to right, are astronaut Tom K. Mattingly II, who was replaced as Apollo 13 command module pilot after it was learned he may come down with measles, and astronaut Vance D. Brand, Shift 2 spacecraft communicator. Several hours earlier, in the late evening hours of April 13, crew members of the Apollo 13 mission reported to MCC that trouble had developed with an oxygen cell on their spacecraft.

The Apollo spacecraft: A chronology, volume 3, 1 October 1964 - 20 January 1966

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, C. G.; Ertel, I. D.

1976-01-01

The development of the Apollo spacecraft is traced along with that of Saturn V. Emphasis is placed on the detailed engineering design and exhaustive testing performed to qualify both the command and service modules and the lunar module for manned flight.

Support for User Interfaces for Distributed Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eychaner, Glenn; Niessner, Albert

2005-01-01

An extensible Java(TradeMark) software framework supports the construction and operation of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for distributed computing systems typified by ground control systems that send commands to, and receive telemetric data from, spacecraft. Heretofore, such GUIs have been custom built for each new system at considerable expense. In contrast, the present framework affords generic capabilities that can be shared by different distributed systems. Dynamic class loading, reflection, and other run-time capabilities of the Java language and JavaBeans component architecture enable the creation of a GUI for each new distributed computing system with a minimum of custom effort. By use of this framework, GUI components in control panels and menus can send commands to a particular distributed system with a minimum of system-specific code. The framework receives, decodes, processes, and displays telemetry data; custom telemetry data handling can be added for a particular system. The framework supports saving and later restoration of users configurations of control panels and telemetry displays with a minimum of effort in writing system-specific code. GUIs constructed within this framework can be deployed in any operating system with a Java run-time environment, without recompilation or code changes.

STS-103: Flight Day 6 Highlights and Crew Activities Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Discovery's astronauts (Mission Commander, Curtis L. Brown; Pilot, Scott J. Kelly; Mission Specialists, Steven L. Smith, C. Michael Foale, and John M. Grunsfeld; and (ESA) Mission Specialists, Claude Nicollier and Jean-Francois Clervoy) deliver a Christmas present to the world, putting the Hubble Space Telescope back into service after 24 hours and 33 minutes of repairs and upgrades that make the orbital observatory more capable than ever. European Space Agency Astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy uses the shuttle's robot arm to release the telescope at 5:03 p.m. CST, then places the arm into an upright salute as Commander Curt Brown fires Discovery's steering jets to begin separating from the telescope. The telescope's re-deployment takes place at an altitude of 370 statute miles as the two spacecraft fly over the South Pacific's coral sea northeast of Australia. At 5:39 CST, Brown executes a second steering jet burn, lowering Discovery's orbit slightly, so that it will begin orbiting faster than the telescope and move away at just under 6 statute miles per orbit. Afterward, each of the seven astronauts on board calls down holiday wishes from space in several languages.

APOLLO/SATURN (A/S) 201 - LAUNCH - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-02-26

A/S 201 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 34 at 11:12 a.m., 02/26/1966. The instrumented Apollo Command and Service Module, and, a spacecraft Lunar Excursion Module Adapter, was successfully launched on the unmanned suborbital mission by the Saturn 1B to check spacecraft launch vehicle mechanical compatibility and to test the spacecraft heat shield in a high-velocity re-entry mode. CAPE KENNEDY, FL

APOLLO SPACECRAFT 017 - RECOVERY - ATLANTIC

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-11-09

S67-49447 (9 Nov. 1967) --- Close-up view of the charred heat shield of the Apollo Spacecraft 017 Command Module aboard the USS Bennington. The damage was caused by the extreme heat of reentry. The carrier Bennington was the prime recovery ship for the Apollo 4 (Spacecraft 017/Saturn 501) unmanned, Earth-orbital space mission. Splashdown occurred at 3:37 p.m. (EST), Nov. 9, 1967, 934 nautical miles northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii.

PC-403: Pioneer Venus multiprobe spacecraft mission operational characteristics document, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, F. C.

1978-01-01

The operational characteristics of the multiprobe system and its subsystem are described. System level, description of the nominal phases, system interfaces, and the capabilities and limitations of system level performance are presented. Bus spacecraft functional and operational descriptions at the subsystem and unit level are presented. The subtleties of nominal operation as well as detailed capabilities and limitations beyond nominal performance are discussed. A command and telemetry logic flow diagram for each subsystem is included. Each diagram identifies in symbolic logic all signal conditioning encountered along each command signal path into, and each telemetry signal path out of the subsystem.

Astronaut Brand and Cosmonaut Ivanchenko in Docking Module trainer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Astronaut Vance D. Brand (foreground) and Cosmonaut Aleksandr S. Ivanchenko are seated in the Docking Module trainer in bldg 35 during Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) simulation training at JSC. Brand is the command module pilot of the American ASTP prime crew. Ivanchenko is the engineer on the Soviet ASTP fourth crew (back-up). During the exercise the American ASTP crew and the Soviet ASTP crew simulated docking the Apollo and Soyuz in Earth orbit and transferring to each other's spacecraft. This view is looking from inside the Command Module into the Docking Module. The hatchway leading into the Soyuz spacecraft orbital module mock-up is in the background.

Closing the uplink/downlink loop on the new Horizons Mission to Pluto

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Joseph G.; Birath, Emma; Carcich, Brian; Harch, Ann

Commanding the payload on a spacecraft (“ uplink” sequencing and command generation) and processing the instrument data returned (“ downlink” data processing) are two primary functions of Science Operations on a mission. While vitally important, it is sometimes surprisingly difficult to connect data returned from a spacecraft to the corresponding commanding and sequencing information that created the data, especially when data processing is done via an automated science data pipeline and not via a manual process with humans in the loop. For a variety of reasons it is necessary to make such a connection and close this loop. Perhaps the most important reason is to ensure that all data asked for has arrived safely on the ground. This is especially critical when the mission must erase parts of the spacecraft memory to make room for new data; mistakes here can result in permanent loss of data. Additionally, there are often key pieces of information (such as intended observation target or certain instrument modes that are not included in housekeeping, etc.) that are known only at the time of commanding and never makes it down in the telemetry. Because missions like New Horizons strive to be frugal with how much telemetry is sent back to Earth, and the telemetry may not include unambiguous identifiers (like observation ids, etc.), connecting downlinked data with uplink command information in an automated way can require creative approaches and heuristics. In this paper, we describe how these challenges were overcome on the New Horizons Mission to Pluto. The system developed involves ingesting uplink information into a database and automatically correlating it with downlinked data products. This allows for more useful data searches and the ability to attach the original intent of each observation to the processed science data. Also a new data tracking tool is now being developed to help in planning data playback from the spacecraft and to ensu- e data is verified on the ground before being erased from spacecraft memory. The development of these tools and techniques have also uncovered powerful lessons-learned for future missions. At the early stages of the design of a mission's dataflow, the allocation of a few more bytes of telemetry can go a long way toward making the uplink to downlink loop even easier to close on the ground, simplifying ground systems for future missions.

Horowitz and Barry inside Soyuz spacecraft with Sokol suits

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-08-20

STS105-E-5389 (20 August 2001) --- Scott J. Horowitz (center), STS-105 commander, and Daniel T. Barry, mission specialist, pose among the stowage bags and Sokol suits in the Soyuz spacecraft which is docked to the International Space Station (ISS). This image was taken with a digital still camera.

PC-403: Pioneer Venus multiprobe spacecraft mission operational characteristics document, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, F. C.

1978-01-01

The data handling subsystem, command subsystem, communications subsystem, power subsystem, and mission operations of the Pioneer Venus multiprobe are presented. The multiprobe spacecraft performance in normal operating modes that correspond to the performance of specific functions at the time of specific events in the mission is described.

Autonomous mission planning and scheduling: Innovative, integrated, responsive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sary, Charisse; Liu, Simon; Hull, Larry; Davis, Randy

1994-01-01

Autonomous mission scheduling, a new concept for NASA ground data systems, is a decentralized and distributed approach to scientific spacecraft planning, scheduling, and command management. Systems and services are provided that enable investigators to operate their own instruments. In autonomous mission scheduling, separate nodes exist for each instrument and one or more operations nodes exist for the spacecraft. Each node is responsible for its own operations which include planning, scheduling, and commanding; and for resolving conflicts with other nodes. One or more database servers accessible to all nodes enable each to share mission and science planning, scheduling, and commanding information. The architecture for autonomous mission scheduling is based upon a realistic mix of state-of-the-art and emerging technology and services, e.g., high performance individual workstations, high speed communications, client-server computing, and relational databases. The concept is particularly suited to the smaller, less complex missions of the future.

Citizen Explorer. 1; An Earth Observer With New Small Satellite Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Zachary; Dunn, Catherine E.

2003-01-01

Citizen Explorer-I (CX-I), designed and built by students at Colorado Space Grant Consortium in Boulder to provide global ozone monitoring, employs a unique mission architecture and several innovative technologies during its mission. The mission design allows K-12 schools around the world to be involved as ground stations available to receive science data and telemetry from CX-I. Another important technology allows the spacecraft to be less reliant on ground operators. Spacecraft Command Language (SCL) allows mission designers to set constraints on the satellite operations. The satellite then automatically adheres to the constraints when the satellite is out of contact with Mission Operations. In addition to SCL, a low level of artificial intelligence will be supplied to the spacecraft through the use of the Automated Scheduling and Planning ENvironment (ASPEN). ASPEN is used to maintain a spacecraft schedule in order to achieve the objectives a mission operator would normally have to complete. Within the communications system of CX-I, internet of CX-I, internet protocols are the main method for communicating with the satellite. As internet protocols have not been widely used in satellite communication, CX-I provides an opportunity to study the effectiveness of using internet protocols over radio links. The Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) on CX-I uses a gravity gradient boom as a means of orienting the satellite's science instruments toward nadir. The boom design is unique because it is constructed of tape measure material. These new technologies' effectiveness will be tested for use on future small satellite projects within the space satellite industry.

Avoiding Human Error in Mission Operations: Cassini Flight Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burk, Thomas A.

2012-01-01

Operating spacecraft is a never-ending challenge and the risk of human error is ever- present. Many missions have been significantly affected by human error on the part of ground controllers. The Cassini mission at Saturn has not been immune to human error, but Cassini operations engineers use tools and follow processes that find and correct most human errors before they reach the spacecraft. What is needed are skilled engineers with good technical knowledge, good interpersonal communications, quality ground software, regular peer reviews, up-to-date procedures, as well as careful attention to detail and the discipline to test and verify all commands that will be sent to the spacecraft. Two areas of special concern are changes to flight software and response to in-flight anomalies. The Cassini team has a lot of practical experience in all these areas and they have found that well-trained engineers with good tools who follow clear procedures can catch most errors before they get into command sequences to be sent to the spacecraft. Finally, having a robust and fault-tolerant spacecraft that allows ground controllers excellent visibility of its condition is the most important way to ensure human error does not compromise the mission.

Artist's concept of Apollo 8 command/service module heading for the moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

North American Rockwell artist's concept illustrating a phase of the scheduled Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission. Here, the Apollo 8 spacecraft command and service modules, still attached to the Satury V third (S-IVB) stage, heads for the moon at a speed of about 24,300 miles an hour.

Apollo 11 Command Service Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

A close-up view of the Apollo 11 command service module ready to be mated with the spacecraft LEM adapter of the third stage. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

APOLLO XII CREW - WELCOME - USS HORNET - REAR ADMIRAL DONALD DAVID

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-11-24

S69-22876 (24 Nov. 1969) --- Rear Admiral Donald C. David, Commander, Manned Spacecraft Recovery Force, Pacific, welcomes the crew of the Apollo 12 lunar landing mission aboard the USS Hornet, prime recovery vessel for the mission. A color guard was also on hand for the welcoming ceremonies. Inside the Mobile Quarantine Facility (MQF) are (left to right) astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., commander; Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot; and Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot.

An intelligent automated command and control system for spacecraft mission operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoffel, A. William

1994-01-01

The Intelligent Command and Control (ICC) System research project is intended to provide the technology base necessary for producing an intelligent automated command and control (C&C) system capable of performing all the ground control C&C functions currently performed by Mission Operations Center (MOC) project Flight Operations Team (FOT). The ICC research accomplishments to date, details of the ICC, and the planned outcome of the ICC research, mentioned above, are discussed in detail.

Modeling to Improve the Risk Reduction Process for Command File Errors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meshkat, Leila; Bryant, Larry; Waggoner, Bruce

2013-01-01

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has learned that even innocuous errors in the spacecraft command process can have significantly detrimental effects on a space mission. Consequently, such Command File Errors (CFE), regardless of their effect on the spacecraft, are treated as significant events for which a root cause is identified and corrected. A CFE during space mission operations is often the symptom of imbalance or inadequacy within the system that encompasses the hardware and software used for command generation as well as the human experts and processes involved in this endeavor. As we move into an era of increased collaboration with other NASA centers and commercial partners, these systems become more and more complex. Consequently, the ability to thoroughly model and analyze CFEs formally in order to reduce the risk they pose is increasingly important. In this paper, we summarize the results of applying modeling techniques previously developed to the DAWN flight project. The original models were built with the input of subject matter experts from several flight projects. We have now customized these models to address specific questions for the DAWN flight project and formulating use cases to address their unique mission needs. The goal of this effort is to enhance the project's ability to meet commanding reliability requirements for operations and to assist them in managing their Command File Errors.

Incorrect Responses to Locative Commands: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duchan, Judith; Siegel, Leo

1979-01-01

A six-year-old with a language problem responded consistently to 100 locative commands by putting objects in containers and on flat surfaces regardless of the preposition or order of the nouns in the commands. (Author/CL)

Cassini's Maneuver Automation Software (MAS) Process: How to Successfully Command 200 Navigation Maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Genevie Velarde; Mohr, David; Kirby, Charles E.

2008-01-01

To keep Cassini on its complex trajectory, more than 200 orbit trim maneuvers (OTMs) have been planned from July 2004 to July 2010. With only a few days between many of these OTMs, the operations process of planning and executing the necessary commands had to be automated. The resulting Maneuver Automation Software (MAS) process minimizes the workforce required for, and maximizes the efficiency of, the maneuver design and uplink activities. The MAS process is a well-organized and logically constructed interface between Cassini's Navigation (NAV), Spacecraft Operations (SCO), and Ground Software teams. Upon delivery of an orbit determination (OD) from NAV, the MAS process can generate a maneuver design and all related uplink and verification products within 30 minutes. To date, all 112 OTMs executed by the Cassini spacecraft have been successful. MAS was even used to successfully design and execute a maneuver while the spacecraft was in safe mode.

Optimal Variable-Structure Control Tracking of Spacecraft Maneuvers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crassidis, John L.; Vadali, Srinivas R.; Markley, F. Landis

1999-01-01

An optimal control approach using variable-structure (sliding-mode) tracking for large angle spacecraft maneuvers is presented. The approach expands upon a previously derived regulation result using a quaternion parameterization for the kinematic equations of motion. This parameterization is used since it is free of singularities. The main contribution of this paper is the utilization of a simple term in the control law that produces a maneuver to the reference attitude trajectory in the shortest distance. Also, a multiplicative error quaternion between the desired and actual attitude is used to derive the control law. Sliding-mode switching surfaces are derived using an optimal-control analysis. Control laws are given using either external torque commands or reaction wheel commands. Global asymptotic stability is shown for both cases using a Lyapunov analysis. Simulation results are shown which use the new control strategy to stabilize the motion of the Microwave Anisotropy Probe spacecraft.

The Military Accessions Vital to National Interest Program: What It Is and How It Can Be Made Relevant

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-19

recruited through the MAVNI program possess language skills and cultural expertise that can help the commander make sense of what is going on around him...made; (1) further development of the MAVNI program in order to better leverage the language skills and cultural expertise of the Soldiers recruited...describe and direct. Soldiers recruited through the MAVNI program possess language skills and cultural expertise that can help the commander make

Imaging Sensor Flight and Test Equipment Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freestone, Kathleen; Simeone, Louis; Robertson, Byran; Frankford, Maytha; Trice, David; Wallace, Kevin; Wilkerson, DeLisa

2007-01-01

The Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) is one of the components onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, and was designed to detect and locate lightning over the tropics. The LIS flight code was developed to run on a single onboard digital signal processor, and has operated the LIS instrument since 1997 when the TRMM satellite was launched. The software provides controller functions to the LIS Real-Time Event Processor (RTEP) and onboard heaters, collects the lightning event data from the RTEP, compresses and formats the data for downlink to the satellite, collects housekeeping data and formats the data for downlink to the satellite, provides command processing and interface to the spacecraft communications and data bus, and provides watchdog functions for error detection. The Special Test Equipment (STE) software was designed to operate specific test equipment used to support the LIS hardware through development, calibration, qualification, and integration with the TRMM spacecraft. The STE software provides the capability to control instrument activation, commanding (including both data formatting and user interfacing), data collection, decompression, and display and image simulation. The LIS STE code was developed for the DOS operating system in the C programming language. Because of the many unique data formats implemented by the flight instrument, the STE software was required to comprehend the same formats, and translate them for the test operator. The hardware interfaces to the LIS instrument using both commercial and custom computer boards, requiring that the STE code integrate this variety into a working system. In addition, the requirement to provide RTEP test capability dictated the need to provide simulations of background image data with short-duration lightning transients superimposed. This led to the development of unique code used to control the location, intensity, and variation above background for simulated lightning strikes at user-selected locations.

GOES-R active vibration damping controller design, implementation, and on-orbit performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clapp, Brian R.; Weigl, Harald J.; Goodzeit, Neil E.; Carter, Delano R.; Rood, Timothy J.

2018-01-01

GOES-R series spacecraft feature a number of flexible appendages with modal frequencies below 3.0 Hz which, if excited by spacecraft disturbances, can be sources of undesirable jitter perturbing spacecraft pointing. To meet GOES-R pointing stability requirements, the spacecraft flight software implements an Active Vibration Damping (AVD) rate control law which acts in parallel with the nadir point attitude control law. The AVD controller commands spacecraft reaction wheel actuators based upon Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) inputs to provide additional damping for spacecraft structural modes below 3.0 Hz which vary with solar wing angle. A GOES-R spacecraft dynamics and attitude control system identified model is constructed from pseudo-random reaction wheel torque commands and IMU angular rate response measurements occurring over a single orbit during spacecraft post-deployment activities. The identified Fourier model is computed on the ground, uplinked to the spacecraft flight computer, and the AVD controller filter coefficients are periodically computed on-board from the Fourier model. Consequently, the AVD controller formulation is based not upon pre-launch simulation model estimates but upon on-orbit nadir point attitude control and time-varying spacecraft dynamics. GOES-R high-fidelity time domain simulation results herein demonstrate the accuracy of the AVD identified Fourier model relative to the pre-launch spacecraft dynamics and control truth model. The AVD controller on-board the GOES-16 spacecraft achieves more than a ten-fold increase in structural mode damping for the fundamental solar wing mode while maintaining controller stability margins and ensuring that the nadir point attitude control bandwidth does not fall below 0.02 Hz. On-orbit GOES-16 spacecraft appendage modal frequencies and damping ratios are quantified based upon the AVD system identification, and the increase in modal damping provided by the AVD controller for each structural mode is presented. The GOES-16 spacecraft AVD controller frequency domain stability margins and nadir point attitude control bandwidth are presented along with on-orbit time domain disturbance response performance.

GOES-R Active Vibration Damping Controller Design, Implementation, and On-Orbit Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clapp, Brian R.; Weigl, Harald J.; Goodzeit, Neil E.; Carter, Delano R.; Rood, Timothy J.

2017-01-01

GOES-R series spacecraft feature a number of flexible appendages with modal frequencies below 3.0 Hz which, if excited by spacecraft disturbances, can be sources of undesirable jitter perturbing spacecraft pointing. In order to meet GOES-R pointing stability requirements, the spacecraft flight software implements an Active Vibration Damping (AVD) rate control law which acts in parallel with the nadir point attitude control law. The AVD controller commands spacecraft reaction wheel actuators based upon Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) inputs to provide additional damping for spacecraft structural modes below 3.0 Hz which vary with solar wing angle. A GOES-R spacecraft dynamics and attitude control system identified model is constructed from pseudo-random reaction wheel torque commands and IMU angular rate response measurements occurring over a single orbit during spacecraft post-deployment activities. The identified Fourier model is computed on the ground, uplinked to the spacecraft flight computer, and the AVD controller filter coefficients are periodically computed on-board from the Fourier model. Consequently, the AVD controller formulation is based not upon pre-launch simulation model estimates but upon on-orbit nadir point attitude control and time-varying spacecraft dynamics. GOES-R high-fidelity time domain simulation results herein demonstrate the accuracy of the AVD identified Fourier model relative to the pre-launch spacecraft dynamics and control truth model. The AVD controller on-board the GOES-16 spacecraft achieves more than a ten-fold increase in structural mode damping of the fundamental solar wing mode while maintaining controller stability margins and ensuring that the nadir point attitude control bandwidth does not fall below 0.02 Hz. On-orbit GOES-16 spacecraft appendage modal frequencies and damping ratios are quantified based upon the AVD system identification, and the increase in modal damping provided by the AVD controller for each structural mode is presented. The GOES-16 spacecraft AVD controller frequency domain stability margins and nadir point attitude control bandwidth are presented along with on-orbit time domain disturbance response performance.

Nodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, John; Martinez, Andres; Petro, Andrew

2015-01-01

Nodes is a technology demonstration mission that is scheduled for launch to the International SpaceStation no earlier than Nov.19, 2015. The two Nodes satellites will be deployed from the Station in early 2016 todemonstrate new network capabilities critical to the operation of swarms of spacecraft. They will demonstrate the ability ofmulti spacecraft swarms to receive and distribute ground commands, exchange information periodically, andautonomously configure the network by determining which spacecraft should communicate with the ground each day ofthe mission.

Lunar Module 3 attached to Saturn V third stage

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-03

AS09-19-2919 (3 March 1969) --- The Lunar Module (LM) "Spider", still attached to the Saturn V third (S-IVB) stage, is photographed from the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Gumdrop" on the first day of the Apollo 9 Earth-orbital mission. This picture was taken following CSM/LM-S-IVB separation and prior to LM extraction from the S-IVB. The Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter (SLA) panels have already been jettisoned. Inside the Command Module were astronauts James A. McDivitt, commander; David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot.

Full quaternion based finite-time cascade attitude control approach via pulse modulation synthesis for a spacecraft.

PubMed

Mazinan, A H; Pasand, M; Soltani, B

2015-09-01

In the aspect of further development of investigations in the area of spacecraft modeling and analysis of the control scheme, a new hybrid finite-time robust three-axis cascade attitude control approach is proposed via pulse modulation synthesis. The full quaternion based control approach proposed here is organized in association with both the inner and the outer closed loops. It is shown that the inner closed loop, which consists of the sliding mode finite-time control approach, the pulse width pulse frequency modulator, the control allocation and finally the dynamics of the spacecraft is realized to track the three-axis referenced commands of the angular velocities. The pulse width pulse frequency modulators are in fact employed in the inner closed loop to accommodate the control signals to a number of on-off thrusters, while the control allocation algorithm provides the commanded firing times for the reaction control thrusters in the overactuated spacecraft. Hereinafter, the outer closed loop, which consists of the proportional linear control approach and the kinematics of the spacecraft is correspondingly designed to deal with the attitude angles that are presented by quaternion vector. It should be noted that the main motivation of the present research is to realize a hybrid control method by using linear and nonlinear terms and to provide a reliable and robust control structure, which is able to track time varying three-axis referenced commands. Subsequently, a stability analysis is presented to verify the performance of the overall proposed cascade attitude control approach. To prove the effectiveness of the presented approach, a thorough investigation is presented compared to a number of recent corresponding benchmarks. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recognition of voice commands using adaptation of foreign language speech recognizer via selection of phonetic transcriptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maskeliunas, Rytis; Rudzionis, Vytautas

2011-06-01

In recent years various commercial speech recognizers have become available. These recognizers provide the possibility to develop applications incorporating various speech recognition techniques easily and quickly. All of these commercial recognizers are typically targeted to widely spoken languages having large market potential; however, it may be possible to adapt available commercial recognizers for use in environments where less widely spoken languages are used. Since most commercial recognition engines are closed systems the single avenue for the adaptation is to try set ways for the selection of proper phonetic transcription methods between the two languages. This paper deals with the methods to find the phonetic transcriptions for Lithuanian voice commands to be recognized using English speech engines. The experimental evaluation showed that it is possible to find phonetic transcriptions that will enable the recognition of Lithuanian voice commands with recognition accuracy of over 90%.

FRED user's manual

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shilling, J.

1984-02-01

FRED, the friendly editor, is a screen-based structured editor. This manual is intended to serve the needs of a wide range of users of the FRED text editor. Most users will find it sufficient to read the introductory material in section 2, supplemented with the full command set description in section 3. Advanced users may wish to change the keystroke sequences which invoke editor commands. Section 4 describes how to change key bindings and how to define command macros. Some users may need to modify a language description or create an entirely new language description for use with FRED. Sectionmore » 5 describes the format of the language descriptions used by the editor, and describes how to construct a language grammar. Section 6 describes known portability problems of the FRED editor and should concern only system installation personnel. The editor points out syntax errors in the file being edited and does automatic pretty printing.« less

Voyager backgrounder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The Voyager spacecraft and experiments are described. The spacecraft description includes the structure and configuration, communications systems, power supplies, computer command subsystems, and the science platform. The experiments discussed are investigations of cosmic rays, low-energy charged particles, magnetic fields, and plasma waves, along with studies in radio astronomy photopolarimetry. The tracking and data acquisition procedures for the missions are presented.

GEMINI-8 - TRAINING - WATER EGRESS TRAINING - GULF

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-01-15

S66-17288 (15 Jan. 1966) --- Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong (on left), command pilot, and David R. Scott, pilot of the Gemini-8 prime crew, use a boilerplate model of a Gemini spacecraft during water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. Three Manned Spacecraft Center swimmers assist in the training exercise. Photo credit: NASA

Apollo XIII Spacecraft - Splashdown - South Pacific Ocean

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-04-17

S70-35652 (17 April 1970) --- The Apollo 13 spacecraft heads toward a splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean. The Apollo 13 Command Module splashed down in the South Pacific at 12:07:44 p.m., April 17, 1970. Note the capsule and its parachutes just visible against a gap in the dark clouds.

XML in an Adaptive Framework for Instrument Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ames, Troy J.

2004-01-01

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is developing an extensible framework for instrument command and control, known as Instrument Remote Control (IRC), that combines the platform independent processing capabilities of Java with the power of the Extensible Markup Language (XML). A key aspect of the architecture is software that is driven by an instrument description, written using the Instrument Markup Language (IML). IML is an XML dialect used to describe interfaces to control and monitor the instrument, command sets and command formats, data streams, communication mechanisms, and data processing algorithms.

Apollo 16 astronauts in Apollo Command Module Mission Simulator

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-03-14

S72-31047 (March 1972) --- Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II (right foreground), command module pilot of the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission, participates in extravehicular activity (EVA) training in Building 5 at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). Mattingly is scheduled to perform EVA during the Apollo 16 journey home from the moon. Astronaut John W. Young, commander, can be seen in the left background. In the right background is astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. They are inside the Apollo Command Module Mission Simulator. While Mattingly remains with the Apollo 16 Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit, Young and Duke will descend in the Lunar Module (LM) to the moon's Descartes landing site.

Apollo 12 crewmen participate in water egress training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

The three prime crewmen of the Apollo 12 lunar landing mission participate in water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. They have just egressed the Apollo Command Module trainer. The man standing at left is a Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) swimmer. The crewmen await life raft for helicopter pickup. All four persons are wearing biological isoloation garments. Participating in the training exercise were Astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., commander; Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot; and Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot.

Ascent stage of Apollo 10 Lunar Module seen from Command module

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-05-22

AS10-34-5112 (26 May 1969) --- The ascent stage of the Apollo 10 Lunar Module (LM) is photographed from the Command Module prior to docking in lunar orbit. The LM is approaching the Command and Service Modules from below. The LM descent stage had already been jettisoned. The lunar surface in the background is near, but beyond the eastern limb of the moon as viewed from Earth (about 120 degrees east longitude). The red/blue diagonal line is the spacecraft window.

ASTRONAUT LOUSMA, JACK - EGRESS - SKYLAB 3 COMMAND MODULE - PACIFIC

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-09-25

S73-36435 (25 Sept. 1973) --- Astronaut Jack R. Lousma, Skylab 3 pilot, egresses the Skylab 3 Command Module aboard the prime recovery ship, USS New Orleans, during recovery operations in the Pacific Ocean. Astronauts Lousma; Alan L. Bean, commander; and Owen L. Garriott, science pilot, had just completed a successful 59-day visit to the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The Skylab 3 spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific about 230 miles southwest of San Diego, California. Photo credit: NASA

DBPQL: A view-oriented query language for the Intel Data Base Processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fishwick, P. A.

1983-01-01

An interactive query language (BDPQL) for the Intel Data Base Processor (DBP) is defined. DBPQL includes a parser generator package which permits the analyst to easily create and manipulate the query statement syntax and semantics. The prototype language, DBPQL, includes trace and performance commands to aid the analyst when implementing new commands and analyzing the execution characteristics of the DBP. The DBPQL grammar file and associated key procedures are included as an appendix to this report.

Apollo 8 prime crew inside centrifuge gondola in bldg 29 during training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

The Apollo 8 prime crew inside the centrifuge gondola in bldg 29 during centrifuge training in the Manned Spacecraft Center's (MSC) Flight Acceleration Facility (view with crew lying on back). Left to right, are Astronauts Frank Borman, commander; James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; and William A. Anders, lunar module pilot.

A spacecraft computer repairable via command.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fimmel, R. O.; Baker, T. E.

1971-01-01

The MULTIPAC is a central data system developed for deep-space probes with the distinctive feature that it may be repaired during flight via command and telemetry links by reprogramming around the failed unit. The computer organization uses pools of identical modules which the program organizes into one or more computers called processors. The interaction of these modules is dynamically controlled by the program rather than hardware. In the event of a failure, new programs are entered which reorganize the central data system with a somewhat reduced total processing capability aboard the spacecraft. Emphasis is placed on the evolution of the system architecture and the final overall system design rather than the specific logic design.

Apollo 8 Mission Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Postflight analysis of Apollo 8 mission. Apollo 8 was the second manned flight in the program and the first manned lunar orbit mission. The crew were Frank Borman, Commander; James A. Lovell, Command Module Pilot; and William A. Anders, Lunar Module Pilot. The Apollo 8 space vehicle was launched on time from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 7:51:00 AM, EST, on December 21, 1968. Following a nominal boost phase, the spacecraft and S-IVB combination was inserted - into a parking orbit of 98 by 103 nautical miles. After a post-insertion checkout of spacecraft systems, the 319-second translunar injection maneuver was initiated at 2:50:37 by reignition of the S-IVB engine.

SPARTAN-201-3 spacecraft prior to being re-captured

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-09-10

STS069-703-00H (10 September 1995) --- Prior to being re-captured by Space Shuttle Endeavour’s Remote Manipulator System (RMS), the Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy (SPARTAN-201) spacecraft was recorded on film, backdropped against the darkness of space over a heavily cloud-covered Earth. Endeavour, with a five-member crew, launched on September 7, 1995, from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and ended its mission there on September 18, 1995, with a successful landing on Runway 33. The multifaceted mission carried a crew of astronauts David M. Walker, mission commander; Kenneth D. Cockrell, pilot; and James S. Voss (payload commander), James H. Newman and Michael L. Gernhardt, all mission specialists.

Computer support for cooperative tasks in Mission Operations Centers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, Jeffrey; Moore, Mike

1994-01-01

Traditionally, spacecraft management has been performed by fixed teams of operators in Mission Operations Centers. The team cooperatively: (1) ensures that payload(s) on spacecraft perform their work; and (2) maintains the health and safety of the spacecraft through commanding and monitoring the spacecraft's subsystems. In the future, the task demands will increase and overload the operators. This paper describes the traditional spacecraft management environment and describes a new concept in which groupware will be used to create a Virtual Mission Operations Center. Groupware tools will be used to better utilize available resources through increased automation and dynamic sharing of personnel among missions.

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Thruster Control Mode Design and Flight Experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, Oscar C.

2010-01-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, MD, designed, built, tested, and launched the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on June 18, 2009. The LRO spacecraft is the first operational spacecraft designed to support NASA s return to the Moon, as part of the Vision for Space Exploration. LRO was launched aboard an Atlas V 401 launch vehicle into a direct insertion trajectory to the Moon. Twenty-four hours after separation the propulsion system was used to perform a mid-course correction maneuver. Four days after the mid-course correction a series of propulsion maneuvers were executed to insert LRO into its commissioning orbit. The commission period lasted eighty days and this followed by a second set of thruster maneuvers that inserted LRO into its mission orbit. To date, the spacecraft has been gathering invaluable data in support of human s future return to the moon. The LRO Attitude Control Systems (ACS) contains two thruster based control modes: Delta-H and Delta-V. The design of the two controllers are similar in that they are both used for 3-axis control of the spacecraft with the Delta-H controller used for momentum management and the Delta-V controller used for orbit adjust and maintenance maneuvers. In addition to the nominal purpose of the thruster modes, the Delta-H controller also has the added capability of performing a large angle slew maneuver. A suite of ACS components are used by the thruster based control modes, for both initialization and control. For initialization purposes, a star tracker or the Kalman Filter solution is used for providing attitude knowledge and upon entrance into the thruster based control modes attitude knowledge is provided via rate propagation using a inertial reference unit (IRU). Rate information for the controller is also supplied by the IRU. Three-axis control of the spacecraft in the thruster modes is provided by eight 5-lbf class attitude control thrusters configured in two sets of four thrusters for redundancy purposes. Four additional 20-lbf class thrusters configured in two sets of two thrusters are used for Lunar Orbit Insertion maneuvers. The propulsion system is one the few systems on-board the LRO spacecraft that has built in redundancy. The Delta-H controller consists of a Proportional-Derivative (PD) controller with a structural filter on the thrusters and a Proportional controller on the reaction wheels. The PD control that employs the thrusters is used for attitude and rate control. The Proportional controller on the reaction wheels is used for commanding the wheels to a new momentum state. The ground commands used for the Delta-H controller are the system momentum vector, reaction wheel momentum, maximum expected command time, and which set of attitude control thrusters to use. The ability to command both the system momentum vector and reaction wheel momentum in the Delta-H controller provides both a capability and an additional source of operator error. Large angle slews via the Delta-H controller is achievable via this commands because these commands are used for the exit mode criteria. Setting these commands to non-consistent values prevents the mode from exiting nominally.

Services provided in support of the planetary quarantine requirements of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Favero, M. S.

1972-01-01

The efficiency of a biodetection grinder, used to recover buried contamination, was tested using spacecraft components and laminated polystyrene strips containing Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores. The surfaces were decontaminated before tests. Results are given in tabular form. Tables are also given for heat resistance of bacteria spores, prevalence of bacteria in spacecraft before launch, and the types of bacteria found in Apollo 15 spacecraft components and command modules.

Lonchakov ingresses the Earth-facing port of the SM after arrival of the Soyuz TMA-13 Spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-14

ISS017-E-019022 (14 Oct. 2008) --- Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov, Expedition 18 flight engineer, ingresses the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station's Zarya module after arriving onboard the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft with NASA astronaut Michael Fincke, commander, and American spaceflight participant Richard Garriott (both out of frame). Hatches between the two spacecraft were opened at 4:55 a.m. (CDT).

Astronauts Stafford and Slayton visit Soviet Soyuz spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, left, NASA ASTP crew commander, and Donald K. Slayton, docking module pilot, visit the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft during the joint phase of the ASTP mission. They hold Soviet containers of borsh (beet soup) over which vodka labels have been pasted. This was the crew's way of toasting each other. The photo was taken in the Orbital Module portion of the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft. The hatch to the Soyuz Descent Vehicle is in center background.

A software toolbox for robotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanwal, J. C.

1985-01-01

A method for programming cooperating manipulators, which is guided by a geometric description of the task to be performed, is given. For this a suitable language must be used and a method for describing the workplace and the objects in it in geometric terms. A task level command language and its implementation for concurrently driven multiple robot arm is described. The language is suitable for driving a cell in which manipulators, end effectors, and sensors are controlled by their own dedicated processors. These processors can communicate with each other through a communication network. A mechanism for keeping track of the history of the commands already executed allows the command language for the manipulators to be event driven. A frame based world modeling system is utilized to describe the objects in the work environment and any relationships that hold between these objects. This system provides a versatile tool for managing information about the world model. Default actions normally needed are invoked when the data base is updated or accessed. Most of the first level error recovery is also invoked by the database by utilizing the concepts of demons. The package can be utilized to generate task level commands in a problem solver or a planner.

BioPCD - A Language for GUI Development Requiring a Minimal Skill Set.

PubMed

Alvare, Graham Gm; Roche-Lima, Abiel; Fristensky, Brian

2012-11-01

BioPCD is a new language whose purpose is to simplify the creation of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) by biologists with minimal programming skills. The first step in developing BioPCD was to create a minimal superset of the language referred to as PCD (Pythonesque Command Description). PCD defines the core of terminals and high-level nonterminals required to describe data of almost any type. BioPCD adds to PCD the constructs necessary to describe GUI components and the syntax for executing system commands. BioPCD is implemented using JavaCC to convert the grammar into code. BioPCD is designed to be terse and readable and simple enough to be learned by copying and modifying existing BioPCD files. We demonstrate that BioPCD can easily be used to generate GUIs for existing command line programs. Although BioPCD was designed to make it easier to run bioinformatics programs, it could be used in any domain in which many useful command line programs exist that do not have GUI interfaces.

Expedition 23 Launch Day

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-01

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is seen at sunrise prior to its launch at 10:04am, Friday, April 2, 2010 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The Soyuz spacecraft will carry Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson to the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Network, system, and status software enhancements for the autonomously managed electrical power system breadboard. Volume 3: Commands specification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckee, James W.

1990-01-01

This volume (3 of 4) contains the specification for the command language for the AMPS system. The volume contains a requirements specification for the operating system and commands and a design specification for the operating system and command. The operating system and commands sits on top of the protocol. The commands are an extension of the present set of AMPS commands in that the commands are more compact, allow multiple sub-commands to be bundled into one command, and have provisions for identifying the sender and the intended receiver. The commands make no change to the actual software that implement the commands.

Managing the Implementation of Mission Operations Automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sodano, R.; Crouse, P.; Odendahl, S.; Fatig, M.; McMahon, K.; Lakin, J.

2006-01-01

Reducing the cost of mission operations has necessitated a high level of automation both on spacecraft and ground systems. While automation on spacecraft is implemented during the design phase, ground system automation tends to be implemented during the prime mission operations phase. Experience has shown that this tendency for late automation development can be hindered by several factors: additional hardware and software resources may need to be procured; software must be developed and tested on a non-interference basis with primary operations with limited manpower; and established procedures may not be suited for automation requiring substantial rework. In this paper we will review the experience of successfully automating mission operations for seven on-orbit missions: the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO), the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE), Interplanetary Physics Laboratory (WIND), Polar Plasma Laboratory (POLAR), and the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE). We will provide lessons learned in areas such as: spacecraft recorder management, procedure development, lights out commanding from the ground system vs. stored command loads, spacecraft contingency response time, and ground station interfaces. Implementing automation strategies during the mission concept and spacecraft integration and test phase as the most efficient method will be discussed.

Robonaut 2 and Watson: Cognitive Dexterity for Future Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Badger, Julia M.; Strawser, Philip; Farrell, Logan; Goza, S. Michael; Claunch, Charles A.; Chancey, Raphael; Potapinski, Russell

2018-01-01

Future exploration missions will dictate a level of autonomy never before experienced in human spaceflight. Mission plans involving the uncrewed phases of complex human spacecraft in deep space will require a coordinated autonomous capability to be able to maintain the spacecraft when ground control is not available. One promising direction involves embedding intelligence into the system design both through the employment of state-of-the-art system engineering principles as well as through the creation of a cognitive network between a smart spacecraft or habitat and embodiments of cognitive agents. The work described here details efforts to integrate IBM's Watson and other cognitive computing services into NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC)'s Robonaut 2 (R2) anthropomorphic robot. This paper also discusses future directions this work will take. A cognitive spacecraft management system that is able to seamlessly collect data from subsystems, determine corrective actions, and provide commands to enable those actions is the end goal. These commands could be to embedded spacecraft systems or to a set of robotic assets that are tied into the cognitive system. An exciting collaboration with Woodside provides a promising Earth-bound testing analog, as controlling and maintaining not normally manned off-shore platforms have similar constraints to the space missions described.

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 2: The interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.

1988-01-01

This is the third set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language CLAMP, the command language interpreter CLIP, and the data manager GAL. Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 3 describes the CLIP-Processor interface and related topics. It is intended only for processor developers.

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 2: Directives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.

1989-01-01

This is the second of a set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language (CLAMP), the command language interpreter (CLIP), and the data manager (GAL). Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 2 describes the CLIP directives in detail. It is intended for intermediate and advanced users.

The fully programmable spacecraft: procedural sequencing for JPL deep space missions using VML (Virtual Machine Language)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grasso, C. A.

2002-01-01

This paper lays out language constructs and capabilities, code features, and VML operations development concepts. The ability to migrate to the spacecraft functionality which is more traditionally implemented on the ground is examined.

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-08

From left to right, Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, Expedition 10 backup Soyuz Commander Valery Tokarev and backup Expedition Commander Bill McArthur speak with officials from behind glass after having conducted a final inspection of their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft on Saturday, October 9, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in preparation for their launch October 14 to the International Space Station. The Soyuz vehicle will be mated to its booster rocket October 11 in preparation for its rollout to the Central Asian launch pad October 12. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 23 Docking

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-04-03

A large TV screen in Russian Mission Control Center in Korolev, Russia shows Expedition 23 Commander Oleg Kotov, right, welcoming NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson onboard the International Space Station after she and fellow crew members Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko docked their Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft on Sunday, April 4, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Apollo 11 Facts Project [On-Orbit Lunar Module Checkout

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Footage is shown of the crew of Apollo 11 (Commander Neil Armstrong, Lunar Module Pilot Edwin Aldrin Jr., and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins) inside the spacecraft as they fly from the Earth to the Moon. The Moon is seen in its entirety and in close detail. Aldrin gives a brief demonstration on how the astronauts eat in space.

KSC-69PC-337

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-07-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Pad Leader Guenter Wendt, kneeling, supervises preparations to remove the Apollo 11 astronauts from their spacecraft following the Countdown Demonstration Test, a dress rehearsal prior to the actual launch day. Visible in the hatchway is Command Module Pilot Michael Collins. To his left is Apollo 11 Commander Neil A. Armstrong. At Collins' right is Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. Aldrin Jr.

View of White Room atop Pad A during Apollo 9 Countdown Demonstration Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Interior view of the White Room atop Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kenndy Space Center, during Apollo 9 Countdown Demonstration Test activity. Standing next to spacecraft hatch is Astronaut James A. McDivitt, commander. Also taking part in the training exercise were Astronauts David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot.

STS-41 Voice Command System Flight Experiment Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salazar, George A.

1981-01-01

This report presents the results of the Voice Command System (VCS) flight experiment on the five-day STS-41 mission. Two mission specialists,Bill Shepherd and Bruce Melnick, used the speaker-dependent system to evaluate the operational effectiveness of using voice to control a spacecraft system. In addition, data was gathered to analyze the effects of microgravity on speech recognition performance.

Mission Operations of the Mars Exploration Rovers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bass, Deborah; Lauback, Sharon; Mishkin, Andrew; Limonadi, Daniel

2007-01-01

A document describes a system of processes involved in planning, commanding, and monitoring operations of the rovers Spirit and Opportunity of the Mars Exploration Rover mission. The system is designed to minimize command turnaround time, given that inherent uncertainties in terrain conditions and in successful completion of planned landed spacecraft motions preclude planning of some spacecraft activities until the results of prior activities are known by the ground-based operations team. The processes are partitioned into those (designated as tactical) that must be tied to the Martian clock and those (designated strategic) that can, without loss, be completed in a more leisurely fashion. The tactical processes include assessment of downlinked data, refinement and validation of activity plans, sequencing of commands, and integration and validation of sequences. Strategic processes include communications planning and generation of long-term activity plans. The primary benefit of this partition is to enable the tactical portion of the team to focus solely on tasks that contribute directly to meeting the deadlines for commanding the rover s each sol (1 sol = 1 Martian day) - achieving a turnaround time of 18 hours or less, while facilitating strategic team interactions with other organizations that do not work on a Mars time schedule.

A planning language for activity scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zoch, David R.; Lavallee, David; Weinstein, Stuart; Tong, G. Michael

1991-01-01

Mission planning and scheduling of spacecraft operations are becoming more complex at NASA. Described here are a mission planning process; a robust, flexible planning language for spacecraft and payload operations; and a software scheduling system that generates schedules based on planning language inputs. The mission planning process often involves many people and organizations. Consequently, a planning language is needed to facilitate communication, to provide a standard interface, and to represent flexible requirements. The software scheduling system interprets the planning language and uses the resource, time duration, constraint, and alternative plan flexibilities to resolve scheduling conflicts.

Apollo 12 Mission image - Lunar surface near lunar module

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-11-19

AS12-47-6949 (19-20 Nov. 1969) --- A photograph of the Apollo 12 lunar landing site taken during the extravehicular activity (EVA) of astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., commander; and Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot. The Apollo 12 Lunar Module (LM) is on the left. Barely visible in the center of the picture, in the shadows on the farside of the crater, is the Surveyor 3 spacecraft. The two spacecraft are about 600 feet apart. Conrad and Bean walked over to Surveyor 3 during their second EVA. The television camera and several other pieces were taken from Surveyor 3 and brought back to Earth for scientific examination. Astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit, while astronauts Conrad and Bean descended in the LM to explore the moon. The considerable glare in the picture is caused by the position of the sun. The Apollo tool carrier is the object next to the LM footpad.

Alternative Attitude Commanding and Control for Precise Spacecraft Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Gurkirpal

2004-01-01

A report proposes an alternative method of control for precision landing on a remote planet. In the traditional method, the attitude of a spacecraft is required to track a commanded translational acceleration vector, which is generated at each time step by solving a two-point boundary value problem. No requirement of continuity is imposed on the acceleration. The translational acceleration does not necessarily vary smoothly. Tracking of a non-smooth acceleration causes the vehicle attitude to exhibit undesirable transients and poor pointing stability behavior. In the alternative method, the two-point boundary value problem is not solved at each time step. A smooth reference position profile is computed. The profile is recomputed only when the control errors get sufficiently large. The nominal attitude is still required to track the smooth reference acceleration command. A steering logic is proposed that controls the position and velocity errors about the reference profile by perturbing the attitude slightly about the nominal attitude. The overall pointing behavior is therefore smooth, greatly reducing the degree of pointing instability.

LANDSAT-2 and LANDSAT-3 Flight evaluation report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winchester, T. W.

1978-01-01

Flight performance analysis of LANDSAT 2 and LANDSAT 3 are presented for the period July 1978 to October 1978. Spacecraft operations and orbital parameters are summarized for each spacecraft. Data are provided on the performance and operation of the following subsystems onboard the spacecraft: power; attitude control; command/clock; telemetry; orbit adjust; magnetic moment compensating assembly; unified S band/premodulation processor; electrical interface; thermal narrowband tape recorders; wideband telemetry; attitude measurement sensor; wideband video tape recorders; return beam vidicon; multispectral scanner subsystem; and data collections.

International Symposium on Spacecraft Ground Control and Flight Dynamics, SCD1, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, Feb. 7-11, 1994

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozenfeld, Pawel; Kuga, Helio Koiti; Orlando, Valcir

An international symposium on spacecraft flight dynamics and ground control systems produced 85 papers in the areas of attitude determination and control, orbit control, satellite constellation strategies, stationkeeping, spacecraft maneuvering, orbit determination, astrodynamics, ground command and control systems, and mission operations. Several papers included discussions on the application of artificial intelligence, neural networks, expert systems, and ion propulsion. For individual titles, see A95-89098 through A95-89182.

Planning the Voyager spacecraft's mission to Uranus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plagemann, Stephen H.

1987-01-01

The application of the systems engineering process to the planning of the Voyager spacecraft mission is described. The Mission Planning Office prepared guidelines that controlled the use of the project and multimission resources and spacecraft consumables in order to obtain valuable scientific data at an acceptable risk level. Examples of mission planning which are concerned with the design of the Deep Space Network antenna, the uplink window for transmitting computer command subsystem loads, and the contingency and risk assessment functions are presented.

Adaptive supervisory control of remote manipulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferrell, W. R.

1977-01-01

The command language by which an operator exerts supervisory control over a general purpose remote manipulator should be designed to accommodate certain characteristics of human performance if there is to be effective communication between the operator and the machine. Some of the ways in which people formulate tasks, use language, learn and make errors are discussed and design implications are drawn. A general approach to command language design is suggested, based on the notion matching the operator's current task schema or context by appropriate program structures or 'frames' in the machine.

Exploring Mechanisms Underlying Impaired Brain Function in Gulf War Illness through Advanced Network Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

networks of the brain responsible for visual processing, mood regulation, motor coordination, sensory processing, and language command, but increased...4    For each subject, the rsFMRI voxel time-series were temporally shifted to account for differences in slice acquisition times...responsible for visual processing, mood regulation, motor coordination, sensory processing, and language command, but increased connectivity in

STS-36 Commander Creighton listens to music on OV-104's forward flight deck

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-03-03

STS-36 Commander John O. Creighton, smiling and wearing a headset, listens to music as the tape recorder freefloats in front of him. During this lighter moment of the mission, Creighton is positioned at the commanders station on the forward flight deck of Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104. Forward flight deck windows W1 and W2 appear on his left. Creighton and four other astronauts spent four days, 10 hours and 19 minutes aboard the spacecraft for the Department of Defense (DOD) devoted mission.

Expedition 34 Crew Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-03-16

A Russian helicopter commander waits inside his Search and Rescue helicopter that was grounded by low visibility at the Arkalyk Airport in Kazakhstan on Saturday, March 16, 2013. The Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft landed with Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford of NASA, Russian Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy and Russian Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Ford, Novitskiy, and Tarelkin returned from 142 days onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 33 and 34 crews. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

STS-36 Commander Creighton listens to music on OV-104's forward flight deck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

STS-36 Commander John O. Creighton, smiling and wearing a headset, listens to music as the tape recorder freefloats in front of him. During this lighter moment of the mission, Creighton is positioned at the commanders station on the forward flight deck of Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104. Forward flight deck windows W1 and W2 appear on his left. Creighton and four other astronauts spent four days, 10 hours and 19 minutes aboard the spacecraft for the Department of Defense (DOD) devoted mission.

Apollo 9 prime crew on deck of ship prior to water egress training

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-11-05

S68-54841 (5 Nov. 1968) --- The prime crew of the Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/Saturn 504) space mission stands on the deck of the NASA Motor Vessel Retriever (MVR) prior to participating in water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. Left to right, are astronauts Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot; David R. Scott, command module pilot; and James A. McDivitt, commander. In background is the Apollo Command Module (CM) boilerplate which was used in the training exercise.

Apollo 12 crewmen participate in water egress training

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-09-20

S69-52990 (20 Sept. 1969) --- The three prime crew men of the Apollo 12 lunar landing mission participate in water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. They have just egressed the Apollo Command Module (CM) trainer. The man standing at left is a Manned Spacecraft Center's (MSC) swimmer. The crew men await in life raft for helicopter pickup. All four persons are wearing biological isolation garments. Participating in the training exercise were astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., commander; Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot; and Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot.

Launch of the Apollo 17 lunar landing mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-12-07

S72-55482 (7 Dec. 1972) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 17 (Spacecraft 114/Lunar Module 12/Saturn 512) space vehicle is launched from Pad A., Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 12:33 a.m. (EST), Dec. 7, 1972. Apollo 17, the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program, was the first nighttime liftoff of the Saturn V launch vehicle. Aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft were astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, commander; astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot; and scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot. Flame from the five F-1 engines of the Apollo/Saturn first (S-1C) stage illuminates the nighttime scene. A two-hour and 40-minute hold delayed the Apollo 17 launching.

Launch of the Apollo 17 lunar landing mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-09-07

S72-55070 (7 Dec. 1972) --- The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 17 (Spacecraft 114/Lunar Module 12/Saturn 512) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 12:33 a.m. (EST), Dec. 7, 1972. Apollo 17, the final lunar landing mission in NASA's Apollo program, was the first nighttime liftoff of the Saturn V launch vehicle. Aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft were astronaut Eugene A. Cernan, commander; astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot; and scientist-astronaut Harrison H. Schmitt, lunar module pilot. Flame from the five F-1 engines of the Apollo/Saturn first (S-1C) stage illuminates the nighttime scene. A two-hour and 40-minute hold delayed the Apollo 17 launching.

Astronaut John Young displays drawing of Charlie Brown

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 10 command module pilot, displays drawing of Charlie Brown in this color reproduction taken from the fourth telecast made by the color television camera aboard the Apollo 10 spacecraft. When this picture was made the Apollo 10 spacecraft was about half-way to the moon, or approximately 112,000 nautical miles from the earth. Charlie Brown will be the code name of the Command Module (CM) during Apollo 10 operations when the Lunar Module and CM are separated (34075); Young displays drawing of Snoopy in this reproduction taken from a television transmission. Snoopy will be the code name of the Lunar Module (LM) during Apollo 10 operations when the LM and CM are separated (34076).

Autonomous Command Operation of the WIRE Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prior, Mike; Walyus, Keith; Saylor, Rick

1999-01-01

This paper presents the end-to-end design architecture for an autonomous commanding capability to be used on the Wide Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE) mission for the uplink of command loads during unattended station contacts. The WIRE mission is the fifth and final mission of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Small Explorer (SMEX) series to be launched in March of 1999. Its primary mission is the targeting of deep space fields using an ultra-cooled infrared telescope. Due to its mission design WIRE command loads are large (approximately 40 Kbytes per 24 hours) and must be performed daily. To reduce the cost of mission operations support that would be required in order to uplink command loads, the WIRE Flight Operations Team has implemented an autonomous command loading capability. This capability allows completely unattended operations over a typical two-day weekend period.

Information retrieval and display system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Groover, J. L.; King, W. L.

1977-01-01

Versatile command-driven data management system offers users, through simplified command language, a means of storing and searching data files, sorting data files into specified orders, performing simple or complex computations, effecting file updates, and printing or displaying output data. Commands are simple to use and flexible enough to meet most data management requirements.

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 4: The global-database manager GAL-DBM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Mary A.; Regelbrugge, Marc E.; Felippa, Carlos A.

1989-01-01

This is the fourth of a set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language CLAMP, the command language interpreter CLIP, and the data manager GAL. Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 4 describes the nominal-record data management component of the NICE software. It is intended for all users.

Science Planning and Orbit Classification for Solar Probe Plus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusterer, M. B.; Fox, N. J.; Rodgers, D. J.; Turner, F. S.

2016-12-01

There are a number of challenges for the Science Planning Team (SPT) of the Solar Probe Plus (SPP) Mission. Since SPP is using a decoupled payload operations approach, tight coordination between the mission operations and payload teams will be required. The payload teams must manage the volume of data that they write to the spacecraft solid-state recorders (SSR) for their individual instruments for downlink to the ground. Making this process more difficult, the geometry of the celestial bodies and the spacecraft during some of the SPP mission orbits cause limited uplink and downlink opportunities. The payload teams will also be required to coordinate power on opportunities, command uplink opportunities, and data transfers from instrument memory to the spacecraft SSR with the operation team. The SPT also intend to coordinate observations with other spacecraft and ground based systems. To solve these challenges, detailed orbit activity planning is required in advance for each orbit. An orbit planning process is being created to facilitate the coordination of spacecraft and payload activities for each orbit. An interactive Science Planning Tool is being designed to integrate the payload data volume and priority allocations, spacecraft ephemeris, attitude, downlink and uplink schedules, spacecraft and payload activities, and other spacecraft ephemeris. It will be used during science planning to select the instrument data priorities and data volumes that satisfy the orbit data volume constraints and power on, command uplink and data transfer time periods. To aid in the initial stages of science planning we have created an orbit classification scheme based on downlink availability and significant science events. Different types of challenges arise in the management of science data driven by orbital geometry and operational constraints, and this scheme attempts to identify the patterns that emerge.

XML-Based SHINE Knowledge Base Interchange Language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, Mark; Mackey, Ryan; Tikidjian, Raffi

2008-01-01

The SHINE Knowledge Base Interchange Language software has been designed to more efficiently send new knowledge bases to spacecraft that have been embedded with the Spacecraft Health Inference Engine (SHINE) tool. The intention of the behavioral model is to capture most of the information generally associated with a spacecraft functional model, while specifically addressing the needs of execution within SHINE and Livingstone. As such, it has some constructs that are based on one or the other.

Command Generation and Control of Momentum Exchange Electrodynamic Reboost Tethered Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, Michael J.

2005-01-01

The research completed for this NASA Graduate Student Research Program Fellowship sought to enhance the current state-of-the-art dynamic models and control laws for Momentum Exchange Electrodynamic Reboost satellite systems by utilizing command generation, specifically Input Shaping. The precise control of tethered spacecraft with flexible appendages is extremely difficult. The complexity is magnified many times when the satellite must interact with other satellites as in a momentum exchange via a tether. The Momentum Exchange Electronic Reboost Tether (MXER) concept encapsulates all of these challenging tasks [l]. Input Shaping is a command generation technique that allows flexible spacecraft to move without inducing residual vibration [2], limit transient deflection [3] and utilize fuel-efficient actuation [4]. Input shaping is implemented by convolving a sequence of impulses, known as the input shaper, with a desired system command to produce a shaped input that is then used to drive the system. This process is demonstrated in Figure 1. The shaped command is then use to drive the system without residual vibration while meeting many other performance specifications. The completed work developed tether control algorithms for retrieval. A simple model of the tether response has been developed and command shaping was implemented to minimize unwanted dynamics. A model of a flexible electrodynamic tether has been developed to investigate the tether s response during reboost. Command shaping techniques have been developed to eliminate the tether oscillations and reduce the tether s deflection to pre-specified levels during reboost. Additionally, a model for the spin-up of a tethered system was developed. This model was used in determining the parameters for optimization the resulting angular velocity.

Expedition 16 Soyuz TMA-11 Lands

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-18

A Russian search and rescue helicopter flies over the burning Kazakh steppe after Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko and South Korean spaceflight participant So-yeon Yi landed their Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft, Friday, April 19, 2008, in central Kazakhstan to complete 192 days in space for Whitson and Malenchenko and 11 days in orbit for Yi. Photo Credit: (NASA/Reuters/Pool)

APOLLO 9 - PRELAUNCH (CDDT) - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-02-20

S69-27089 (11 March 1969) --- Overall view of Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, showing the Apollo 10 (Spacecraft 106/Lunar Module-4/Saturn 505) space vehicle during a Countdown Demonstration Test. The Apollo 10 flight is scheduled as a lunar orbit mission. The Apollo 10 crew will be astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, commander; John W. Young, command module pilot; and Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot.

A Programming Language Environment for the Unassisted Learner.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, P. G.; Ince, D. C.

1982-01-01

Describes the computing environment and command language for a new programing language called OUSBASIC which is designed to enable naive users to interact usefully, with little assistance, with a computer system. (Author/CHC)

An Abstract Plan Preparation Language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Ricky W.; Munoz, Cesar A.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a new planning language that is more abstract than most existing planning languages such as the Planning Domain Definition Language (PDDL) or the New Domain Description Language (NDDL). The goal of this language is to simplify the formal analysis and specification of planning problems that are intended for safety-critical applications such as power management or automated rendezvous in future manned spacecraft. The new language has been named the Abstract Plan Preparation Language (APPL). A translator from APPL to NDDL has been developed in support of the Spacecraft Autonomy for Vehicles and Habitats Project (SAVH) sponsored by the Explorations Technology Development Program, which is seeking to mature autonomy technology for application to the new Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) that will replace the Space Shuttle.

Standardization and economics of nuclear spacecraft: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Feasibility and cost benefits of nuclear-powered standardized spacecraft were investigated. The study indicates that two shuttle-launched nuclear-powered spacecraft should be able to serve the majority of unmanned NASA missions anticipated for the 1980's. The standard spacecraft include structure, thermal control, power, attitude control, some propulsion capability and tracking, telemetry, and command subsystems. One spacecraft design, powered by the radioisotope thermoelectric generator, can serve missions requiring up to 450 watts. The other spacecraft design, powered by similar nuclear heat sources in a Brayton-cycle generator, can serve missions requiring up to 2200 watts. Design concepts and trade-offs are discussed. The conceptual designs selected are presented and successfully tested against a variety of missions. The thermal design is such that both spacecraft are capable of operating in any earth orbit and any orientation without modification.

Modular, Autonomous Command and Data Handling Software with Built-In Simulation and Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuseo, John

2012-01-01

The spacecraft system that plays the greatest role throughout the program lifecycle is the Command and Data Handling System (C&DH), along with the associated algorithms and software. The C&DH takes on this role as cost driver because it is the brains of the spacecraft and is the element of the system that is primarily responsible for the integration and interoperability of all spacecraft subsystems. During design and development, many activities associated with mission design, system engineering, and subsystem development result in products that are directly supported by the C&DH, such as interfaces, algorithms, flight software (FSW), and parameter sets. A modular system architecture has been developed that provides a means for rapid spacecraft assembly, test, and integration. This modular C&DH software architecture, which can be targeted and adapted to a wide variety of spacecraft architectures, payloads, and mission requirements, eliminates the current practice of rewriting the spacecraft software and test environment for every mission. This software allows missionspecific software and algorithms to be rapidly integrated and tested, significantly decreasing time involved in the software development cycle. Additionally, the FSW includes an Onboard Dynamic Simulation System (ODySSy) that allows the C&DH software to support rapid integration and test. With this solution, the C&DH software capabilities will encompass all phases of the spacecraft lifecycle. ODySSy is an on-board simulation capability built directly into the FSW that provides dynamic built-in test capabilities as soon as the FSW image is loaded onto the processor. It includes a six-degrees- of-freedom, high-fidelity simulation that allows complete closed-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing of a spacecraft in a ground processing environment without any additional external stimuli. ODySSy can intercept and modify sensor inputs using mathematical sensor models, and can intercept and respond to actuator commands. ODySSy integration is unique in that it allows testing of actual mission sequences on the flight vehicle while the spacecraft is in various stages of assembly, test, and launch operations all without any external support equipment or simulators. The ODySSy component of the FSW significantly decreases the time required for integration and test by providing an automated, standardized, and modular approach to integrated avionics and component interface and functional verification. ODySSy further provides the capability for on-orbit support in the form of autonomous mission planning and fault protection.

Apollo XI Command Module (CM) - Mobile Quarantine Facility (MQF) - U.S.S. Hornet

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-07-24

S69-40758 (24 July 1969) --- The Apollo 11 spacecraft Command Module (CM) and the Mobile Quarantine Facility (MQF) are photographed aboard the USS Hornet, prime recovery ship for the historic first lunar landing mission. The three crewmen are already in the MQF. Apollo 11 with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. aboard splashed down at 11:49 a.m. (CDT), July 24, 1969, about 812 nautical miles southwest of Hawaii and only 12 nautical miles from the USS Hornet. While astronauts Armstrong, commander, and Aldrin, lunar module pilot, descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Eagle" to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Collins, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Columbia" in lunar orbit.

Astronaut James McDivitt photographed inside Command Module during Apollo 9

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-06

AS09-20-3154 (3-13 March 1969) --- This close-up view of astronaut James A. McDivitt shows several days' beard growth. The Apollo 9 mission commander was onboard the Lunar Module (LM) "Spider" in Earth orbit, near the end of the flight. He was joined on the mission by astronauts David R. Scott, command module pilot, and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. Schweickart took this picture while Scott remained in the Command Module (CM) "Gumdrop." In Earth orbit, the three tested the transposition and docking systems of the lunar module and command module. On a scheduled lunar landing mission later this year, a team of three astronauts and ground controllers will use what this crew and its support staff have learned in handling the systems of the two spacecraft.

Unit Testing for Command and Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alexander, Joshua

2018-01-01

Unit tests were created to evaluate the functionality of a Data Generation and Publication tool for a command and control system. These unit tests are developed to constantly evaluate the tool and ensure it functions properly as the command and control system grows in size and scope. Unit tests are a crucial part of testing any software project and are especially instrumental in the development of a command and control system. They save resources, time and costs associated with testing, and catch issues before they become increasingly difficult and costly. The unit tests produced for the Data Generation and Publication tool to be used in a command and control system assure the users and stakeholders of its functionality and offer assurances which are vital in the launching of spacecraft safely.

BioPCD - A Language for GUI Development Requiring a Minimal Skill Set

PubMed Central

Alvare, Graham GM; Roche-Lima, Abiel; Fristensky, Brian

2016-01-01

BioPCD is a new language whose purpose is to simplify the creation of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) by biologists with minimal programming skills. The first step in developing BioPCD was to create a minimal superset of the language referred to as PCD (Pythonesque Command Description). PCD defines the core of terminals and high-level nonterminals required to describe data of almost any type. BioPCD adds to PCD the constructs necessary to describe GUI components and the syntax for executing system commands. BioPCD is implemented using JavaCC to convert the grammar into code. BioPCD is designed to be terse and readable and simple enough to be learned by copying and modifying existing BioPCD files. We demonstrate that BioPCD can easily be used to generate GUIs for existing command line programs. Although BioPCD was designed to make it easier to run bioinformatics programs, it could be used in any domain in which many useful command line programs exist that do not have GUI interfaces. PMID:27818582

View of the Apollo 16 Command/Service Module from the Lunar module in orbit

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-04-20

AS16-113-18282 (23 April 1972) --- The Apollo Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" approaches the Lunar Module (LM) "Orion", from which this photograph was made. The two spacecraft are about to make their final rendezvous of the mission, on April 23, 1972. Astronauts John W. Young, commander, and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot, aboard the LM, were returning to the CSM, in lunar orbit, after three successful days on the lunar surface. Astronaut Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the CSM in lunar orbit, while Young and Duke descended in the LM to explore the Descartes region of the moon.

Navy Swimmers Assist - Recovery of Skylab (SL)-3 Command Module (CM) - Pacific

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-09-25

S73-36401 (25 Sept. 1973) --- A team of U.S. Navy swimmers assists with the recovery of the Skylab 3 Command Module following its splashdown in the Pacific Ocean about 230 miles southwest of San Diego, California. The swimmers had just attached a flotation collar to the spacecraft to improve its buoyancy. Aboard the Command Module were astronauts Alan L. Bean, Owen K. Garriott and Jack R. Lousma, who had just completed a successful 59-day visit to the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. Minutes later the Command Module with the three crewmen still inside was hoisted aboard the prime recovery ship, the USS New Orleans. Photo credit: NASA

Comprehension of Spacecraft Telemetry Using Hierarchical Specifications of Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Havelund, Klaus; Joshi, Rajeev

2014-01-01

A key challenge in operating remote spacecraft is that ground operators must rely on the limited visibility available through spacecraft telemetry in order to assess spacecraft health and operational status. We describe a tool for processing spacecraft telemetry that allows ground operators to impose structure on received telemetry in order to achieve a better comprehension of system state. A key element of our approach is the design of a domain-specific language that allows operators to express models of expected system behavior using partial specifications. The language allows behavior specifications with data fields, similar to other recent runtime verification systems. What is notable about our approach is the ability to develop hierarchical specifications of behavior. The language is implemented as an internal DSL in the Scala programming language that synthesizes rules from patterns of specification behavior. The rules are automatically applied to received telemetry and the inferred behaviors are available to ground operators using a visualization interface that makes it easier to understand and track spacecraft state. We describe initial results from applying our tool to telemetry received from the Curiosity rover currently roving the surface of Mars, where the visualizations are being used to trend subsystem behaviors, in order to identify potential problems before they happen. However, the technology is completely general and can be applied to any system that generates telemetry such as event logs.

An expert system prototype for aiding in the development of software functional requirements for NASA Goddard's command management system: A case study and lessons learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liebowitz, Jay

1986-01-01

At NASA Goddard, the role of the command management system (CMS) is to transform general requests for spacecraft opeerations into detailed operational plans to be uplinked to the spacecraft. The CMS is part of the NASA Data System which entails the downlink of science and engineering data from NASA near-earth satellites to the user, and the uplink of command and control data to the spacecraft. Presently, it takes one to three years, with meetings once or twice a week, to determine functional requirements for CMS software design. As an alternative approach to the present technique of developing CMS software functional requirements, an expert system prototype was developed to aid in this function. Specifically, the knowledge base was formulated through interactions with domain experts, and was then linked to an existing expert system application generator called 'Knowledge Engineering System (Version 1.3).' Knowledge base development focused on four major steps: (1) develop the problem-oriented attribute hierachy; (2) determine the knowledge management approach; (3) encode the knowledge base; and (4) validate, test, certify, and evaluate the knowledge base and the expert system prototype as a whole. Backcasting was accomplished for validating and testing the expert system prototype. Knowledge refinement, evaluation, and implementation procedures of the expert system prototype were then transacted.

Brane Craft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janson, Siegfried

2017-01-01

A Brane Craft is a membrane spacecraft with solar cells, command and control electronics, communications systems, antennas, propulsion systems, attitude and proximity sensors, and shape control actuators as thin film structures manufactured on 10 micron thick plastic sheets. This revolutionary spacecraft design can have a thickness of tens of microns with a surface area of square meters to maximize area-to-mass ratios for exceptionally low-mass spacecraft. Communications satellites, solar power satellites, solar electric propulsion stages, and solar sails can benefit from Brane Craft design. It also enables new missions that require low-mass spacecraft with exceptionally high delta-V. Active removal of orbital debris from Earth orbit is the target application for this study.

GRAMPS: a graphics language interpreter for real-time, interactive, three-dimensional picture editing and animation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Donnell, T.J.; Olson, A.J.

1981-08-01

GRAMPS, a graphics language interpreter has been developed in FORTRAN 77 to be used in conjunction with an interactive vector display list processor (Evans and Sutherland Multi-Picture-System). Several of the features of the language make it very useful and convenient for real-time scene construction, manipulation and animation. The GRAMPS language syntax allows natural interaction with scene elements as well as easy, interactive assignment of graphics input devices. GRAMPS facilitates the creation, manipulation and copying of complex nested picture structures. The language has a powerful macro feature that enables new graphics commands to be developed and incorporated interactively. Animation may bemore » achieved in GRAMPS by two different, yet mutually compatible means. Picture structures may contain framed data, which consist of a sequence of fixed objects. These structures may be displayed sequentially to give a traditional frame animation effect. In addition, transformation information on picture structures may be saved at any time in the form of new macro commands that will transform these structures from one saved state to another in a specified number of steps, yielding an interpolated transformation animation effect. An overview of the GRAMPS command structure is given and several examples of application of the language to molecular modeling and animation are presented.« less

Simplifying operations with an uplink/downlink integration toolkit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Susan C.; Miller, Kevin J.; Guerrero, Ana Maria; Joe, Chester; Louie, John J.; Aguilera, Christine

1994-01-01

The Operations Engineering Lab (OEL) at JPL has developed a simple, generic toolkit to integrate the uplink/downlink processes, (often called closing the loop), in JPL's Multimission Ground Data System. This toolkit provides capabilities for integrating telemetry verification points with predicted spacecraft commands and ground events in the Mission Sequence Of Events (SOE) document. In the JPL ground data system, the uplink processing functions and the downlink processing functions are separate subsystems that are not well integrated because of the nature of planetary missions with large one-way light times for spacecraft-to-ground communication. Our new closed-loop monitoring tool allows an analyst or mission controller to view and save uplink commands and ground events with their corresponding downlinked telemetry values regardless of the delay in downlink telemetry and without requiring real-time intervention by the user. An SOE document is a time-ordered list of all the planned ground and spacecraft events, including all commands, sequence loads, ground events, significant mission activities, spacecraft status, and resource allocations. The SOE document is generated by expansion and integration of spacecraft sequence files, ground station allocations, navigation files, and other ground event files. This SOE generation process has been automated within the OEL and includes a graphical, object-oriented SOE editor and real-time viewing tool running under X/Motif. The SOE toolkit was used as the framework for the integrated implementation. The SOE is used by flight engineers to coordinate their operations tasks, serving as a predict data set in ground operations and mission control. The closed-loop SOE toolkit allows simple, automated integration of predicted uplink events with correlated telemetry points in a single SOE document for on-screen viewing and archiving. It automatically interfaces with existing real-time or non real-time sources of information, to display actual values from the telemetry data stream. This toolkit was designed to greatly simplify the user's ability to access and view telemetry data, and also provide a means to view this data in the context of the commands and ground events that are used to interpret it. A closed-loop system can prove especially useful in small missions with limited resources requiring automated monitoring tools. This paper will discuss the toolkit implementation, including design trade-offs and future plans for enhancing the automated capabilities.

Simplifying operations with an uplink/downlink integration toolkit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Susan C.; Miller, Kevin J.; Guerrero, Ana Maria; Joe, Chester; Louie, John J.; Aguilera, Christine

1994-11-01

The Operations Engineering Lab (OEL) at JPL has developed a simple, generic toolkit to integrate the uplink/downlink processes, (often called closing the loop), in JPL's Multimission Ground Data System. This toolkit provides capabilities for integrating telemetry verification points with predicted spacecraft commands and ground events in the Mission Sequence Of Events (SOE) document. In the JPL ground data system, the uplink processing functions and the downlink processing functions are separate subsystems that are not well integrated because of the nature of planetary missions with large one-way light times for spacecraft-to-ground communication. Our new closed-loop monitoring tool allows an analyst or mission controller to view and save uplink commands and ground events with their corresponding downlinked telemetry values regardless of the delay in downlink telemetry and without requiring real-time intervention by the user. An SOE document is a time-ordered list of all the planned ground and spacecraft events, including all commands, sequence loads, ground events, significant mission activities, spacecraft status, and resource allocations. The SOE document is generated by expansion and integration of spacecraft sequence files, ground station allocations, navigation files, and other ground event files. This SOE generation process has been automated within the OEL and includes a graphical, object-oriented SOE editor and real-time viewing tool running under X/Motif. The SOE toolkit was used as the framework for the integrated implementation. The SOE is used by flight engineers to coordinate their operations tasks, serving as a predict data set in ground operations and mission control. The closed-loop SOE toolkit allows simple, automated integration of predicted uplink events with correlated telemetry points in a single SOE document for on-screen viewing and archiving. It automatically interfaces with existing real-time or non real-time sources of information, to display actual values from the telemetry data stream. This toolkit was designed to greatly simplify the user's ability to access and view telemetry data, and also provide a means to view this data in the context of the commands and ground events that are used to interpret it. A closed-loop system can prove especially useful in small missions with limited resources requiring automated monitoring tools. This paper will discuss the toolkit implementation, including design trade-offs and future plans for enhancing the automated capabilities.

Young Children and Turtle Graphics Programming: Understanding Turtle Commands.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuneo, Diane O.

The LOGO programing language developed for children includes a set of primitive graphics commands that control the displacement and rotation of a display screen cursor called a turtle. The purpose of this study was to examine 4- to 7-year-olds' understanding of single turtle commands as transformations that connect turtle states and to…

Four Apollo astronauts with Command and Service Module at ASVC prior to grand opening

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Some of the former Apollo program astronauts admire an Apollo Command and Service Module during a tour the new Apollo/Saturn V Center (ASVC) at KSC prior to the gala grand opening ceremony for the facility that was held Jan. 8, 1997. The astronauts were invited to participate in the event, which also featured NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and KSC Director Jay Honeycutt. The astronauts are (from left): Apollo 10 Command Module Pilot and Apollo 16 Commander John W. Young;. Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin, Jr.; Apollo 17 Commander Eugene A. Cernan; and Apollo 10 Commander Thomas P. Stafford. The ASVC also features several other Apollo program spacecraft components, multimedia presentations and a simulated Apollo/Saturn V liftoff. The facility will be a part of the KSC bus tour that embarks from the KSC Visitor Center.

Smart motor technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Packard, D.; Schmitt, D.

1984-01-01

Current spacecraft design relies upon microprocessor control; however, motors usually require extensive additional electronic circuitry to interface with these microprocessor controls. An improved control technique that allows a smart brushless motor to connect directly to a microprocessor control system is described. An actuator with smart motors receives a spacecraft command directly and responds in a closed loop control mode. In fact, two or more smart motors can be controlled for synchronous operation.

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-31

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Guidance, navigation, and control systems performance analysis: Apollo 13 mission report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1970-01-01

The conclusions of the analyses of the inflight performance of the Apollo 13 spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control equipment are presented. The subjects discussed are: (1) the command module systems, (2) the lunar module inertial measurement unit, (3) the lunar module digital autopilot, (4) the lunar module abort guidance system, (5) lunar module optical alignment checks, and (6) spacecraft component separation procedures.

Expedition 18 Door Signing

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-11

Expedition 18 Flight Engineer Yuri V. Lonchakov signs the door of a hotel room at the Cosmonaut Hotel prior to departing for the launch aboard a Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying Expedition 18 Commander Michael Fincke, Flight Engineer Yuri V. Lonchakov and American spaceflight participant Richard Garriott. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Feasibility of NASA TT&C via Commercial Satellite Services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Carl W.; Weiss, Roland

1997-01-01

This report presents the results of a study to identify impact and driving requirements by implementing commercial satellite communications service into traditional National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space-ground communications. The NASA communication system is used to relay spacecraft and instrument commands, telemetry and science data. NASA's goal is to lower the cost of operation and increase the flexibility of spacecraft operations. Use of a commercial network offers the opportunity to contact a spacecraft on a nearly "on-demand" basis with ordinary phone calls to enable real time interaction with science events.

Applications Technology Satellite ATS-6 in orbit checkout report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, W.; Prensky, W. (Editor)

1974-01-01

The activities of the ATS-6 spacecraft for the checkout period of approximately four weeks beginning May 30, 1974 are described, along with the results of a performance evaluation of its subsystems and components. The following specific items are discussed: (1) subsystem requirements/specifications and in-orbit performance summary; (2) flight chronology; (3) spacecraft description; (4) structural/deployment subsystems; (5) electrical power subsystem; (6) thermal control subsystem; (7) telemetry and command subsystems; (8) attitude control subsystem; (9) spacecraft propulsion subsystem; (10) communication subsystem; and (12) experiment subsystem.

Introduction to the computational structural mechanics testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lotts, C. G.; Greene, W. H.; Mccleary, S. L.; Knight, N. F., Jr.; Paulson, S. S.; Gillian, R. E.

1987-01-01

The Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM) testbed software system based on the SPAR finite element code and the NICE system is described. This software is denoted NICE/SPAR. NICE was developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory and contains data management utilities, a command language interpreter, and a command language definition for integrating engineering computational modules. SPAR is a system of programs used for finite element structural analysis developed for NASA by Lockheed and Engineering Information Systems, Inc. It includes many complementary structural analysis, thermal analysis, utility functions which communicate through a common database. The work on NICE/SPAR was motivated by requirements for a highly modular and flexible structural analysis system to use as a tool in carrying out research in computational methods and exploring computer hardware. Analysis examples are presented which demonstrate the benefits gained from a combination of the NICE command language with a SPAR computational modules.

The computational structural mechanics testbed architecture. Volume 5: The Input-Output Manager DMGASP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos A.

1989-01-01

This is the fifth of a set of five volumes which describe the software architecture for the Computational Structural Mechanics Testbed. Derived from NICE, an integrated software system developed at Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory, the architecture is composed of the command language (CLAMP), the command language interpreter (CLIP), and the data manager (GAL). Volumes 1, 2, and 3 (NASA CR's 178384, 178385, and 178386, respectively) describe CLAMP and CLIP and the CLIP-processor interface. Volumes 4 and 5 (NASA CR's 178387 and 178388, respectively) describe GAL and its low-level I/O. CLAMP, an acronym for Command Language for Applied Mechanics Processors, is designed to control the flow of execution of processors written for NICE. Volume 5 describes the low-level data management component of the NICE software. It is intended only for advanced programmers involved in maintenance of the software.

A new environment for multiple spacecraft power subsystem mission operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahrami, K. A.

1990-01-01

The engineering analysis subsystem environment (EASE) is being developed to enable fewer controllers to monitor and control power and other spacecraft engineering subsystems. The EASE prototype has been developed to support simultaneous real-time monitoring of several spacecraft engineering subsystems. It is being designed to assist with offline analysis of telemetry data to determine trends, and to help formulate uplink commands to the spacecraft. An early version of the EASE prototype has been installed in the JPL Space Flight Operations Facility for online testing. The EASE prototype is installed in the Galileo Mission Support Area. The underlying concept, development, and testing of the EASE prototype and how it will aid in the ground operations of spacecraft power subsystems are discussed.

Spacecraft (Mobile Satellite) configuration design study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

The relative costs to procure and operate a two-satellite mobile satellite system designed to operate either in the UHF band of the L Band, and with several antenna diameter options in each frequency band was investigated. As configured, the size of the spacecraft is limited to the current RCA Series 4000 Geosynchronous Communications Spacecraft bus, which spans the range from 4000 to 5800 pounds in the transfer orbit. The Series 4000 bus forms the basis around which the Mobile Satellite transponder and associated antennas were appended. Although the resultant configuration has little outward resemblance to the present Series 4000 microwave communications spacecraft, the structure, attitude control, thermal, power, and command and control subsystems of the Series 4000 spacecraft are all adapted to support the Mobile Satellite mission.

ASTP Apollo Command Module nears touchdown in Central Pacific

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-07-24

S75-29719 (24 July 1975) --- The ASTP Apollo Command Module, with astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, Vance D. Brand and Donald K. Slayton aboard, nears a touchdown in the Central Pacific Ocean to conclude the historic joint U.S.-USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project docking mission in Earth orbit. The spacecraft splashed down in the Hawaiian Islands area at 4:18 p.m. (CDT), July 24, 1975.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-10-25

Aboard the International Space Station (ISS), European Space Agency astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain watches a water bubble float between a camera and himself. The bubble shows his reflection (reversed). Duque was launched aboard a Russian Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on October 18th, along with expedition-8 crew members Michael C. Foale, Mission Commander and NASA ISS Science Officer, and Cosmonaut Alexander Y. Kaleri, Soyuz Commander and flight engineer.

Apollo 7 crew arrives aboard recovery ship, U.S.S. Essex

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-10-15

S68-49744 (22 Oct. 1968) --- The Apollo 7 crew is welcomed aboard the USS Essex, the prime recovery ship for the mission. Left to right, are astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot; and Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot. In left background is Dr. Donald E. Stullken, NASA Recovery Team Leader from the Manned Spacecraft Center's (MSC) Landing and Recovery Division.

Apollo 7 crew post-flight

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-10-28

S68-52542 (22 Oct. 1968) --- The Apollo 7 crew arrives aboard the USS Essex, the prime recovery ship for the mission. Left to right, are astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot; Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot; and Dr. Donald E. Stullken, NASA Recovery Team Leader from the Manned Spacecraft Center's (MSC) Landing and Recovery Division. The crew is pausing in the doorway of the recovery helicopter.

Apollo experience report the command and service module milestone review process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brendle, H. L.; York, J. A.

1974-01-01

The sequence of the command and service module milestone review process is given, and the Customer Acceptance Readiness Review and Flight Readiness Review plans are presented. Contents of the System Summary Acceptance Documents for the two formal spacecraft reviews are detailed, and supplemental data required for presentation to the review boards are listed. Typical forms, correspondence, supporting documentation, and minutes of a board meeting are included.

A packet switched communications system for GRO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husain, Shabu; Yang, Wen-Hsing; Vadlamudi, Rani; Valenti, Joseph

1993-11-01

This paper describes the packet switched Instrumenters Communication System (ICS) that was developed for the Command Management Facility at GSFC to support the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) spacecraft. The GRO ICS serves as a vital science data acquisition link to the GRO scientists to initiate commands for their spacecraft instruments. The system is ready to send and receive messages at any time, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The system is based on X.25 and the International Standard Organization's (ISO) 7-layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol model and has client and server components. The components of the GRO ICS are discussed along with how the Communications Subsystem for Interconnection (CSFI) and Network Control Program Packet Switching Interface (NPSI) software are used in the system.

PC-402 Pioneer Venus orbiter spacecraft mission operational characteristics document

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, F. C.; Butterworth, L. W.; Daniel, R. E.; Drean, R. J.; Filetti, K. A.; Fisher, J. N.; Nowak, L. A.; Porzucki, J.; Salvatore, J. O.; Tadler, G. A.

1978-01-01

The operational characteristics of the Orbiter spacecraft and its subsystems are described. In extensive detail. Description of the nominal phases, system interfaces, and the capabilities and limitations of system level performance are included along with functional and operational descriptions at the subsystem and unit level the subtleties of nominal operation as well as detailed capabilities and limitations beyond nominal performance are discussed. A command and telemetry logic flow diagram for each subsystem is included. Each diagram encountered along each command signal path into, and each telemetry signal path out of the subsystem. Normal operating modes that correspond to the performance of specific functions at the time of specific events in the mission are also discussed. Principal backup means of performing the normal Orbiter operating modes are included.

Application of Modern Fortran to Spacecraft Trajectory Design and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Jacob; Falck, Robert D.; Beekman, Izaak B.

2018-01-01

In this paper, applications of the modern Fortran programming language to the field of spacecraft trajectory optimization and design are examined. Modern object-oriented Fortran has many advantages for scientific programming, although many legacy Fortran aerospace codes have not been upgraded to use the newer standards (or have been rewritten in other languages perceived to be more modern). NASA's Copernicus spacecraft trajectory optimization program, originally a combination of Fortran 77 and Fortran 95, has attempted to keep up with modern standards and makes significant use of the new language features. Various algorithms and methods are presented from trajectory tools such as Copernicus, as well as modern Fortran open source libraries and other projects.

Apollo 11 crewmen released from quarantine

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-08-07

S69-41359 (10 Aug. 1969) --- Astronauts Michael Collins (left) and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., are greeted by Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, director, Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), and others upon their release from quarantine. The Apollo 11 crew left the Crew Reception Area (CRA) of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory (LRL) at 9 p.m., Aug. 10, 1969. While astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander, and Aldrin, lunar module pilot, descended in the Lunar Module (LM) "Eagle" to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Collins, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Columbia" in lunar orbit.

President Ford and both the Soviet and American ASTP crews

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

President Gerald R. Ford removes the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft model from a model set depicting the 1975 Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), an Earth orbital docking and rendezvous mission with crewmen from the U.S. and USSR. From left to right, Vladamir A. Shatalov, Chief, Cosmonaut training; Valeriy N. Kubasov, ASTP Soviet engineer; Aleksey A. Leonov, ASTP Soviet crew commander; Thomas P. Stafford, commander of the American crew; Donald K. Slayton, American docking module pilot; Vance D. Brand, command module pilot for the American crew. Dr. George M Low, Deputy Administrator for NASA is partially obscured behind President Ford.

Skylab 4 crew at start of high altitude chamber test at KSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Astronaut Gerald P. Carr, fully suited, Skylab 4 commander, prepares to enter spacecraft 118 (the Skylab 4 vehicle) at the start of the high altitude chamber test at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) (34093); The Skylab 4 crew, fully suited, are seated inside their Command Module, which has been undergoing high altitude chamber test runs at KSC after being considered as a possible rescue vehicle, if needed for the Skylab 3 crew. Facing the camera is Scientist-Astronaut Edward G. Gibson, science pilot. Astronauts Carr, commander; and William R. Pogue, pilot, are also pictured (34094).

Apollo 11 Launch HD SILENT

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-08

On July 16, 1969, the huge, 363-feet tall Saturn V rocket launches on the Apollo 11 mission from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, at 9:32 a.m. EDT. Onboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft are astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Apollo 11 was the United States' first lunar landing mission. While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descended in the Lunar Module "Eagle" to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Collins remained with the Command and Service Modules "Columbia" in lunar orbit.

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, right, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Recovery- Apollo 9

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-13

S69-27468 (13 March 1969) --- U.S. Navy underwater demolition team swimmers assist the Apollo 9 crew during recovery operations just after splashdown. They have already attached a flotation collar to the Command Module (CM). Astronaut Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot, is about to climb into raft. In background is astronaut David R. Scott, command module pilot. Still inside the spacecraft is astronaut James A. McDivitt, commander. Splashdown occurred at 12:00:53 p.m. (EST), March 13, 1969, only 4.5 nautical miles from the prime recovery ship, USS Guadalcanal, to conclude a successful 10-day Earth-orbital mission in space.

APOLLO 16 COMMANDER JOHN YOUNG ENTERS ALTITUDE CHAMBER FOR TESTS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

Apollo 16 commander John W. Young prepares to enter the lunar module in an altitude chamber in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building at the spaceport prior to an altitude run. During the altitude run, in which Apollo 16 lunar module pilot Charles M. Duke also participated, the chamber was pumped down to simulate pressure at an altitude in excess of 200,000 feet. Young, Duke and command module pilot Thomas K. Mattingly II, are training at the Kennedy Space Center for the Apollo 16 mission. Launch is scheduled from Pad 39A, March 17, 1972.

Commander Kevin Chilton is greeted as he moves past the APAS interface

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-03-23

S76-E-5146 (24 March 1996) --- Continuing an in-space tradition, astronaut Kevin P. Chilton (right), STS-76 mission commander, shakes hands with cosmonaut Yury Onufrienko, Mir-21 commander, in the tunnel connecting the Space Shuttle Atlantis and Russia's Mir Space Station. A short time earlier two crews successfully pulled off the third hard-docking of their respective spacecraft. In the background is cosmonaut Yury V. Usachev, Mir-21 flight engineer. The image was recorded with a 35mm Electronic Still Camera (ESC) and downlinked at a later time to ground controllers in Houston, Texas.

Advances in Autonomous Systems for Missions of Space Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, A. R.; Smith, B. D.; Briggs, G. A.; Hieronymus, J.; Clancy, D. J.

New missions of space exploration will require unprecedented levels of autonomy to successfully accomplish their objectives. Both inherent complexity and communication distances will preclude levels of human involvement common to current and previous space flight missions. With exponentially increasing capabilities of computer hardware and software, including networks and communication systems, a new balance of work is being developed between humans and machines. This new balance holds the promise of meeting the greatly increased space exploration requirements, along with dramatically reduced design, development, test, and operating costs. New information technologies, which take advantage of knowledge-based software, model-based reasoning, and high performance computer systems, will enable the development of a new generation of design and development tools, schedulers, and vehicle and system health monitoring and maintenance capabilities. Such tools will provide a degree of machine intelligence and associated autonomy that has previously been unavailable. These capabilities are critical to the future of space exploration, since the science and operational requirements specified by such missions, as well as the budgetary constraints that limit the ability to monitor and control these missions by a standing army of ground- based controllers. System autonomy capabilities have made great strides in recent years, for both ground and space flight applications. Autonomous systems have flown on advanced spacecraft, providing new levels of spacecraft capability and mission safety. Such systems operate by utilizing model-based reasoning that provides the capability to work from high-level mission goals, while deriving the detailed system commands internally, rather than having to have such commands transmitted from Earth. This enables missions of such complexity and communications distance as are not otherwise possible, as well as many more efficient and low cost applications. One notable example of such missions are those to explore for the existence of water on planets such as Mars and the moons of Jupiter. It is clear that water does not exist on the surfaces of such bodies, but may well be located at some considerable depth below the surface, thus requiring a subsurface drilling capability. Subsurface drilling on planetary surfaces will require a robust autonomous control and analysis system, currently a major challenge, but within conceivable reach of planned technology developments. This paper will focus on new and innovative software for remote, autonomous, space systems flight operations, including flight test results, lessons learned, and implications for the future. An additional focus will be on technologies for planetary exploration using autonomous systems and astronaut-assistance systems that employ new spoken language technology. Topics to be presented will include a description of key autonomous control concepts, illustrated by the Remote Agent program that commanded the Deep Space 1 spacecraft to new levels of system autonomy, recent advances in distributed autonomous system capabilities, and concepts for autonomous vehicle health management systems. A brief description of teaming spacecraft and rovers for complex exploration missions will also be provided. New software for autonomous science data acquisition for planetary exploration will also be described, as well as advanced systems for safe planetary landings. Current results of autonomous planetary drilling system research will be presented. A key thrust within NASA is to develop technologies that will leverage the capabilities of human astronauts during planetary surface explorations. One such technology is spoken dialogue interfaces, which would allow collaboration with semi-autonomous agents that are engaged in activities that are normally accomplished using language, e.g., astronauts in space suits interacting with groups of semi-autonomous rovers and other astronauts. This technology will be described and discussed in the context of future exploration missions and the major new capabilities enabled by such systems. Finally, plans and directions for the future of autonomous systems will be presented.

Antenna Controller Replacement Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chao, Roger Y.; Morgan, Scott C.; Strain, Martha M.; Rockwell, Stephen T.; Shimizu, Kenneth J.; Tehrani, Barzia J.; Kwok, Jaclyn H.; Tuazon-Wong, Michelle; Valtier, Henry; Nalbandi, Reza;

ASTP - INSIGNIAS

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-01-01

S75-20361 (27 Feb. 1975) --- This is the American crew insignia of the joint United States-USSR Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) scheduled to take place in July 1975. Of circular design, the insignia has a colorful border area, outlined in red, with the names of the five crew members and the words Apollo in English and Soyuz in Russian around an artist?s concept of the Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft about to dock in Earth orbit. The bright sun and the blue and white Earth are in the background. The white stars on the blue background represent American astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, commander; Vance D. Brand, command module pilot; and Donald (Deke) K. Slayton, docking module pilot. The dark gold stars on the red background represent Soviet cosmonauts Aleksey A. Leonov, commander, and Valeriy N. Kubasov, engineer. Soyuz and Apollo will be launched separately from the USSR and United States, and will dock and remain together for as long as two days. The three Apollo astronauts will enter Soyuz and the two Soviet cosmonauts will visit the Apollo spacecraft via a docking module. The Russian word ?soyuz? means ?union? in English.

Standardizing an End-to-end Accounting Service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, Edward; Kazz, Greg

2006-01-01

Currently there are no space system standards available for space agencies to accomplish end-to-end accounting. Such a standard does not exist for spacecraft operations nor for tracing the relationship between the mission planning activities, the command sequences designed to perform those activities, the commands formulated to initiate those activities and the mission data and specifically the mission data products created by those activities. In order for space agencies to cross-support one another for data accountability/data tracing and for inter agency spacecraft to interoperate with each other, an international CCSDS standard for end-to-end data accountability/tracing needs to be developed. We will first describe the end-to-end accounting service model and functionality that supports the service. This model will describe how science plans that are ultimately transformed into commands can be associated with the telemetry products generated as a result of their execution. Moreover, the interaction between end-to-end accounting and service management will be explored. Finally, we will show how the standard end-to-end accounting service can be applied to a real life flight project i.e., the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project.

Language Development Versus the Teaching of the Standard Language. Lektos: Interdisciplinary Working Papers in Language Sciences, Special Issue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valdes-Fallis, Guadalupe

This paper examines the problem of language development and language growth in the English-dominant Spanish-speaking student who intends to increase his total command of Spanish for the purpose of functioning in that language at a level equivalent to that of most educated Latin Americans. Observations are based on the experiences of…

An XML-Based Mission Command Language for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-06-01

P. XML: How To Program . Prentice Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2001 Digital Signature Activity Statement, W3C www.w3.org/Signature...languages because it does not directly specify how information is to be presented, but rather defines the structure (and thus semantics) of the...command and control (C2) aspects of using XML to increase the utility of AUVs. XML programming will be addressed. Current mine warfare doctrine will be

Mission commander James Wetherbee on the forward flight deck

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-02-03

STS063-06-027 (3-11 Feb 1995) --- Seated at the commander's station on the Space Shuttle Discovery's flight deck, astronaut James D. Wetherbee, commander, was photographed by a crew mate during early phases of the STS-63 mission. A great deal of time was spent during the first few days of the mission to check a leaky thruster, which could have had a negative influence on rendezvous operations with Russia's Mir Space Station. As it turned out, all the related problems were solved and the two spacecraft succeded in achieving close proximity operations. Others onboard the Discovery were astronauts Eileen M. Collins, pilot; Bernard A. Harris Jr., payload commander; and mission specialists C. Michael Foale, Janice E. Voss, and Russian cosmonaut Vladimir G. Titov.

Macintosh II based space Telemetry and Command (MacTac) system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominy, Carol T.; Chesney, James R.; Collins, Aaron S.; Kay, W. K.

1991-01-01

The general architecture and the principal functions of the Macintosh II based Telemetry and Command system, presently under development, are described, with attention given to custom telemetry cards, input/output interfaces, and the icon driven user interface. The MacTac is a low-cost, transportable, easy to use, compact system designed to meet the requirements specified by the Consultative Committeee for Space Data Systems while remaining flexible enough to support a wide variety of other user specific telemetry processing requirements, such as TDM data. In addition, the MacTac can accept or generate forward data (such as spacecraft commands), calculate and append a Polynomial Check Code, and output these data to NASCOM to provide full Telemetry and Command capability.

James Webb Space Telescope XML Database: From the Beginning to Today

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gal-Edd, Jonathan; Fatig, Curtis C.

2005-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Project has been defining, developing, and exercising the use of a common eXtensible Markup Language (XML) for the command and telemetry (C&T) database structure. JWST is the first large NASA space mission to use XML for databases. The JWST project started developing the concepts for the C&T database in 2002. The database will need to last at least 20 years since it will be used beginning with flight software development, continuing through Observatory integration and test (I&T) and through operations. Also, a database tool kit has been provided to the 18 various flight software development laboratories located in the United States, Europe, and Canada that allows the local users to create their own databases. Recently the JWST Project has been working with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Object Management Group (OMG) XML Telemetry and Command Exchange (XTCE) personnel to provide all the information needed by JWST and JPL for exchanging database information using a XML standard structure. The lack of standardization requires custom ingest scripts for each ground system segment, increasing the cost of the total system. Providing a non-proprietary standard of the telemetry and command database definition formation will allow dissimilar systems to communicate without the need for expensive mission specific database tools and testing of the systems after the database translation. The various ground system components that would benefit from a standardized database are the telemetry and command systems, archives, simulators, and trending tools. JWST has exchanged the XML database with the Eclipse, EPOCH, ASIST ground systems, Portable spacecraft simulator (PSS), a front-end system, and Integrated Trending and Plotting System (ITPS) successfully. This paper will discuss how JWST decided to use XML, the barriers to a new concept, experiences utilizing the XML structure, exchanging databases with other users, and issues that have been experienced in creating databases for the C&T system.

Space Shuttle orbiter Columbia on the ground at Edwards Air Force Base

NASA Image and Video Library

1981-04-14

S81-30749 (14 April 1981) --- This high angle view shows the scene at Edwards Air Force Base in southern California soon after the successful landing of the space shuttle orbiter Columbia to end STS-1. Service vehicles approach the spacecraft to perform evaluations for safety, egress preparedness, etc. Astronauts John W. Young, commander, and Robert L. Crippen, pilot, are still inside the spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA

System Identification and Automatic Mass Balancing of Ground-Based Three-Axis Spacecraft Simulator

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

commanded torque to move away from these singularity points. The introduction of this error may not degrade the performance for large slew angle ...trajectory has been generated and quaternion feedback control has been implemented for reference trajectory tracking. The testbed was reasonably well...System Identification and Automatic Mass Balancing of Ground-Based Three-Axis Spacecraft Simulator Jae-Jun Kim∗ and Brij N. Agrawal † Department of

Expedition 14 Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-20

American spaceflight participant Charles Simonyi is taken in his chair to the medical tent near the Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft where the recovery officials conduct post-landing medical checks, Friday, April 21, 2007 in Kazakhstan. Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin and American spaceflight participant Charles Simonyi landed in their Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft southwest of Karaganda, Kazakhstan at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 14 Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-20

Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin is taken in his chair to the medical tent near the Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft where the recovery officials conduct post-landing medical checks, Friday, April 21, 2007 in Kazakhstan. Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin and American spaceflight participant Charles Simonyi landed in their Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft southwest of Karaganda, Kazakhstan at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Apollo 16 spacecraft touches down in the central Pacific Ocean

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The Apollo 16 spacecraft touches down in the central Pacific Ocean at the end of its mission. Splashdown occurred at 1:45:06 p.m., Thursday, April 27, 1972 at coordinates of 00:45.2 degrees south latitude and 156:11.4 degrees west longitude, a point approximately 215 miles southeast of Christmas Island. All its parachutes are collapsing in the ocean around the Command Module.

(GEMINI-TITAN [GT]-6 PREFLIGHT ACTIVITY) (PILOT INSIDE SPACECRAFT) - ASTRONAUT THOMAS P. STAFFORD - MISC. - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-12-15

S65-59961 (15 Dec. 1965) --- Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, pilot, is pictured in the Gemini-6 spacecraft in the White Room atop Pad 19 prior to the closing of the hatches during the Gemini-6 prelaunch countdown. In the background (partially out of view) is astronaut Walter M. Schirra Jr., command pilot. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Art Concepts - Apollo VIII

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-12-02

S68-51306 (December 1968) --- North American Rockwell artist's concept illustrating a phase of the scheduled Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission. Here, the Apollo 8 spacecraft lunar module adapter (SLA) panels, which have supported the Command and Service Modules, are jettisoned. This is done by astronauts firing the service module reaction control engines. A signal simultaneously deploys and jettisons the panels, separating the spacecraft from the SLA and deploying the high gain (deep space) antenna.

Mir 22 and STS-81 crew work with gyrodyne

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-02-04

STS081-301-031 (12-22 Jan 1997) --- Shortly after docking of the Space Shuttle Atlantis and Russia's Mir Space Station, crew members from the respective spacecraft begin to transfer hardware from the Spacehab Double Module (DM) onto the Mir complex. Here, cosmonaut Valeri G. Korzun, Mir-22 commander, along with astronauts Michael A. Baker, commander, and Brent W. Jett, Jr., pilot, unstow a gyrodyne, device for attitude control, transfer to Mir.

Launch of Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-12-21

S68-56001 (21 Dec. 1968) --- The Apollo 8 (Spacecraft 103/Saturn 503) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, at 7:51 a.m. (EST), Dec. 21, 1968. The crew of the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission is astronauts Frank Borman, commander; James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; and William A. Anders, lunar module pilot. Apollo 8 was the first manned Saturn V launch. (Just after ignition)

LAUNCH - APOLLO XIII - LUNAR LANDING MISSION - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-04-11

S70-34855 (11 April 1970) --- The Apollo 13 (Spacecraft 109/Lunar Module 7/Saturn 508) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), at 2:13 p.m. (EST), April 11, 1970. The crew of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) third lunar landing mission are astronauts James A., Lovell Jr., commander; John L. Swigert Jr., command module pilot; and Fred W. Haise Jr., lunar module pilot.

LAUNCH - APOLLO 13 - LUNAR LANDING MISSION - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-04-11

S70-34852 (11 April 1970) --- The Apollo 13 (Spacecraft 109/Lunar Module 7/Saturn 508) space vehicle is launched from Pad A Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), at 2:13 p.m. (EST), April 11, 1970. The crew of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) third lunar landing mission are astronauts James A. Lovell Jr., commander; John L. Swigert Jr., command module pilot; and Fred W. Haise Jr., lunar module pilot.

Expedition 23 Prelaunch Press Conference

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-31

NASA's Tracy Caldwell Dyson, left, looks on as Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov answers a reporters' question during a press conference held at the Cosmonaut Hotel in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Thursday, April 1, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson, Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov and Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

jsc2011e203164

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-23

At the Kremlin Wall in Moscow, Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank of NASA laid flowers October 24, 2011 in a traditional ceremony during the tour of Red Square he and his crewmates conducted prior to their launch to the International Space Station November 14 on the Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Burbank, Soyuz Commander Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin will arrive in Baikonur October 31 for final pre-launch preparations. Credit: NASA

STS-95: Post Landing and Crew Walkaround of the Orbiter at the Shuttle Landing Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

After landing, the STS-95 crew (Commander Curtis L. Brown, Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialists Scott E. Parazynski, Stephen K. Robinson, Pedro Duque, Payload Specialists Chiaki Mukai and the legendary John H. Glenn) descend from the Space Shuttle. Commander Brown congratulates the crew and team photos are taken. The crew does a walkaround inspection of the spacecraft, then boards the bus for departure from the facility.

Astronaut Pedro Duque Watches A Water Bubble

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Aboard the International Space Station (ISS), European Space Agency astronaut Pedro Duque of Spain watches a water bubble float between a camera and himself. The bubble shows his reflection (reversed). Duque was launched aboard a Russian Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on October 18th, along with expedition-8 crew members Michael C. Foale, Mission Commander and NASA ISS Science Officer, and Cosmonaut Alexander Y. Kaleri, Soyuz Commander and flight engineer.

Converting from DDOR SASF to APF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gladden, Roy E.; Khanampompan, Teerapat; Fisher, Forest W.

2008-01-01

A computer program called ddor_sasf2apf converts delta-door (delta differential one-way range) request from an SASF (spacecraft activity sequence file) format to an APF (apgen plan file) format for use in the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) missionplanning- and-sequencing process. The APF is used as an input to APGEN/AUTOGEN in the MRO activity- planning and command-sequencegenerating process to sequence the delta-door (DDOR) activity. The DDOR activity is a spacecraft tracking technique for determining spacecraft location. The input to ddor_sasf2apf is an input request SASF provided by an observation team that utilizes DDOR. ddor_sasf2apf parses this DDOR SASF input, rearranging parameters and reformatting the request to produce an APF file for use in AUTOGEN and/or APGEN. The benefit afforded by ddor_sasf2apf is to enable the use of the DDOR SASF file earlier in the planning stage of the command-sequence-generating process and to produce sequences, optimized for DDOR operations, that are more accurate and more robust than would otherwise be possible.

Spacecraft Attitude Tracking and Maneuver Using Combined Magnetic Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Zhiqiang

2012-01-01

A paper describes attitude-control algorithms using the combination of magnetic actuators with reaction wheel assemblies (RWAs) or other types of actuators such as thrusters. The combination of magnetic actuators with one or two RWAs aligned with different body axis expands the two-dimensional control torque to three-dimensional. The algorithms can guarantee the spacecraft attitude and rates to track the commanded attitude precisely. A design example is presented for nadir-pointing, pitch, and yaw maneuvers. The results show that precise attitude tracking can be reached and the attitude- control accuracy is comparable with RWA-based attitude control. When there are only one or two workable RWAs due to RWA failures, the attitude-control system can switch to the control algorithms for the combined magnetic actuators with the RWAs without going to the safe mode, and the control accuracy can be maintained. The attitude-control algorithms of the combined actuators are derived, which can guarantee the spacecraft attitude and rates to track the commanded values precisely. Results show that precise attitude tracking can be reached, and the attitude-control accuracy is comparable with 3-axis wheel control.

Spacecraft fault tolerance: The Magellan experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kasuda, Rick; Packard, Donna Sexton

1993-01-01

Interplanetary and earth orbiting missions are now imposing unique fault tolerant requirements upon spacecraft design. Mission success is the prime motivator for building spacecraft with fault tolerant systems. The Magellan spacecraft had many such requirements imposed upon its design. Magellan met these requirements by building redundancy into all the major subsystem components and designing the onboard hardware and software with the capability to detect a fault, isolate it to a component, and issue commands to achieve a back-up configuration. This discussion is limited to fault protection, which is the autonomous capability to respond to a fault. The Magellan fault protection design is discussed, as well as the developmental and flight experiences and a summary of the lessons learned.

LEAVE PAD - TRAINING - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-03-18

S65-20641 (1965) --- Astronauts John W. Young (left), pilot, and Virgil I. Grissom, command pilot, for the Gemini-Titan 3 flight, are shown leaving the launch pad after simulations in the Gemini-3 spacecraft.

The Volume Grid Manipulator (VGM): A Grid Reusability Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alter, Stephen J.

1997-01-01

This document is a manual describing how to use the Volume Grid Manipulation (VGM) software. The code is specifically designed to alter or manipulate existing surface and volume structured grids to improve grid quality through the reduction of grid line skewness, removal of negative volumes, and adaption of surface and volume grids to flow field gradients. The software uses a command language to perform all manipulations thereby offering the capability of executing multiple manipulations on a single grid during an execution of the code. The command language can be input to the VGM code by a UNIX style redirected file, or interactively while the code is executing. The manual consists of 14 sections. The first is an introduction to grid manipulation; where it is most applicable and where the strengths of such software can be utilized. The next two sections describe the memory management and the manipulation command language. The following 8 sections describe simple and complex manipulations that can be used in conjunction with one another to smooth, adapt, and reuse existing grids for various computations. These are accompanied by a tutorial section that describes how to use the commands and manipulations to solve actual grid generation problems. The last two sections are a command reference guide and trouble shooting sections to aid in the use of the code as well as describe problems associated with generated scripts for manipulation control.

New Version of SeismicHandler (SHX) based on ObsPy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stammler, Klaus; Walther, Marcus

2016-04-01

The command line version of SeismicHandler (SH), a scientific analysis tool for seismic waveform data developed around 1990, has been redesigned in the recent years, based on a project funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). The aim was to address new data access techniques, simplified metadata handling and a modularized software design. As a result the program was rewritten in Python in its main parts, taking advantage of simplicity of this script language and its variety of well developed software libraries, including ObsPy. SHX provides an easy access to waveforms and metadata via arclink and FDSN webservice protocols, also access to event catalogs is implemented. With single commands whole networks or stations within a certain area may be read in, the metadata are retrieved from the servers and stored in a local database. For data processing the large set of SH commands is available, as well as the SH scripting language. Via this SH language scripts or additional Python modules the command set of SHX is easily extendable. The program is open source, tested on Linux operating systems, documentation and download is found at URL "https://www.seismic-handler.org/".

Remote Software Application and Display Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanders, Brandon T.

2014-01-01

The era of the shuttle program has come to an end, but only to give rise to newer and more exciting projects. Now is the time of the Orion spacecraft, a work of art designed to exceed all previous endeavors of man. NASA is exiting the time of exploration and is entering a new period, a period of pioneering. With this new mission, many of NASAs organizations must undergo a great deal of change and development to support the Orion missions. The Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) is the new system that will provide NASA the ability to launch rockets into orbit and thus control Orion and other spacecraft as the goal of populating Mars becomes ever increasingly tangible. Since the previous control system, Launch Processing System (LPS), was primarily designed to launch the shuttles, SCCS was needed as Kennedy Space Center (KSC) reorganized to a multiuser spaceport for commercial flights, providing a more versatile control over rockets. Within SCCS, is the Launch Control System (LCS), which is the remote software behind the command and monitoring of flight and ground system hardware. This internship at KSC has involved two main components in LCS, including Remote Software Application and Display development. The display environment provides a graphical user interface for an operator to view and see if any cautions are raised, while the remote applications are the backbone that communicate with hardware, and then relay the data back to the displays. These elements go hand in hand as they provide monitoring and control over hardware and software alike from the safety of the Launch Control Center. The remote software applications are written in Application Control Language (ACL), which must undergo unit testing to ensure data integrity. This paper describes both the implementation and writing of unit tests in ACL code for remote software applications, as well as the building of remote displays to be used in the Launch Control Center (LCC).

Summary report for the Engineering Script Language (ESL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The following subject areas are covered: ESL methodology concept; ESL specification; user interface description; engineering scripting language command statements specification; and recommendations for further research and development.

Design, construction and testing of the Communications Technology Satellite protection against spacecraft charging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gore, J. V.

1977-01-01

Detailed discussions are presented of the measures taken on the Communications Technology Satellite (CTS or Hermes) which provide protection against the effects of spacecraft charging. These measures include: a comprehensive grounding philosophy and implementation; provision of command and data line transmitters and receivers for transient noise immunity; and a fairly restrictive EMI specification. Ground tests were made on materials and the impact of these tests on the CTS spacecraft is described. Hermes, launched on 17 January 1976 on a 2914 Delta vehicle, has successfully completed 10 months of operations. Anomalies observed are being assessed in relation to spacecraft charging, but no definite correlations have yet been established. A list of conclusions with regard to the CTS experience is given and recommendations for future spacecraft are also listed.

Ground Simulation of an Autonomous Satellite Rendezvous and Tracking System Using Dual Robotic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trube, Matthew J.; Hyslop, Andrew M.; Carignan, Craig R.; Easley, Joseph W.

2012-01-01

A hardware-in-the-loop ground system was developed for simulating a robotic servicer spacecraft tracking a target satellite at short range. A relative navigation sensor package "Argon" is mounted on the end-effector of a Fanuc 430 manipulator, which functions as the base platform of the robotic spacecraft servicer. Machine vision algorithms estimate the pose of the target spacecraft, mounted on a Rotopod R-2000 platform, relay the solution to a simulation of the servicer spacecraft running in "Freespace", which performs guidance, navigation and control functions, integrates dynamics, and issues motion commands to a Fanuc platform controller so that it tracks the simulated servicer spacecraft. Results will be reviewed for several satellite motion scenarios at different ranges. Key words: robotics, satellite, servicing, guidance, navigation, tracking, control, docking.

THE STRATEGY OF THE TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE--AN APPLICATION TO LEARNING RUSSIAN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ASHER, JAMES J.

THE ESSENCE OF THE TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE IS THAT LEARNERS ARE SILENT, LISTEN TO A COMMAND IN THE LANGUAGE BEING TAUGHT, THEN, OBEY THE COMMAND BY ACTING IT OUT WITH THE INSTRUCTOR AS A MODEL. THE METHOD WAS APPLIED TO TEACHING RUSSIAN AFTER AN INITIAL EXPERIMENT HAD BEEN TRIED WITH JAPANESE. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP ACTED OUT THE COMMANDS. THE…

GRODY - GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY DYNAMICS SIMULATOR IN ADA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stark, M.

1994-01-01

Analysts use a dynamics simulator to test the attitude control system algorithms used by a satellite. The simulator must simulate the hardware, dynamics, and environment of the particular spacecraft and provide user services which enable the analyst to conduct experiments. Researchers at Goddard's Flight Dynamics Division developed GRODY alongside GROSS (GSC-13147), a FORTRAN simulator which performs the same functions, in a case study to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the Ada programming language for flight dynamics software development. They used popular object-oriented design techniques to link the simulator's design with its function. GRODY is designed for analysts familiar with spacecraft attitude analysis. The program supports maneuver planning as well as analytical testing and evaluation of the attitude determination and control system used on board the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) satellite. GRODY simulates the GRO on-board computer and Control Processor Electronics. The analyst/user sets up and controls the simulation. GRODY allows the analyst to check and update parameter values and ground commands, obtain simulation status displays, interrupt the simulation, analyze previous runs, and obtain printed output of simulation runs. The video terminal screen display allows visibility of command sequences, full-screen display and modification of parameters using input fields, and verification of all input data. Data input available for modification includes alignment and performance parameters for all attitude hardware, simulation control parameters which determine simulation scheduling and simulator output, initial conditions, and on-board computer commands. GRODY generates eight types of output: simulation results data set, analysis report, parameter report, simulation report, status display, plots, diagnostic output (which helps the user trace any problems that have occurred during a simulation), and a permanent log of all runs and errors. The analyst can send results output in graphical or tabular form to a terminal, disk, or hardcopy device, and can choose to have any or all items plotted against time or against each other. Goddard researchers developed GRODY on a VAX 8600 running VMS version 4.0. For near real time performance, GRODY requires a VAX at least as powerful as a model 8600 running VMS 4.0 or a later version. To use GRODY, the VAX needs an Ada Compilation System (ACS), Code Management System (CMS), and 1200K memory. GRODY is written in Ada and FORTRAN.

Apollo 11 Launched Via Saturn V Rocket

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

The Apollo 11 mission, the first manned lunar mission, launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida via the Saturn V launch vehicle on July 16, 1969 and safely returned to Earth on July 24, 1969. Developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Saturn V vehicle produced a holocaust of flames as it rose from its pad at Launch complex 39. The 363 foot tall, 6,400,000 pound rocket hurled the spacecraft into Earth parking orbit and then placed it on the trajectory to the moon for man's first lunar landing. Aboard the spacecraft were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, Command Module (CM) pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Lunar Module (LM) pilot. With the success of Apollo 11, the national objective to land men on the Moon and return them safely to Earth had been accomplished.

Apollo Spacecraft and Saturn V Launch Vehicle Pyrotechnics/Explosive Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Interbartolo, Michael

2009-01-01

The Apollo Mission employs more than 210 pyrotechnic devices per mission.These devices are either automatic of commanded from the Apollo spacecraft systems. All devices require high reliability and safety and most are classified as either crew safety critical or mission critical. Pyrotechnic devices have a wide variety of applications including: launch escape tower separation, separation rocket ignition, parachute deployment and release and electrical circuit opening and closing. This viewgraph presentation identifies critical performance, design requirements and safety measures used to ensure quality, reliability and performance of Apollo pyrotechnic/explosive devices. The major components and functions of a typical Apollo pyrotechnic/explosive device are listed and described (initiators, cartridge assemblies, detonators, core charges). The presentation also identifies the major locations and uses for the devices on: the Command and Service Module, Lunar Module and all stages of the launch vehicle.

Lessons Learned from Daily Uplink Operations during the Deep Impact Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stehly, Joseph S.

2006-01-01

The daily preparation of uplink products (commands and files) for Deep Impact was as problematic as the final encounter images were spectacular. The operations team was faced with many challenges during the six-month mission to comet Tempel One of the biggest difficulties was that the Deep Impact Flyby and Impactor vehicles necessitated a high volume of uplink products while also utilizing a new uplink file transfer capability. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Multi-Mission Ground Systems and Services (MGSS) Mission Planning and Sequence Team (MPST) had the responsibility of preparing the uplink products for use on the two spacecraft. These responsibilities included processing nearly 15,000 flight products, modeling the states of the spacecraft during all activities for subsystem review, and ensuring that the proper commands and files were uplinked to the spacecraft. To guarantee this transpired and the health and safety of the two spacecraft were not jeopardized several new ground scripts and procedures were developed while the Deep Impact Flyby and Impactor spacecraft were en route to their encounter with Tempel-1. These scripts underwent several adaptations throughout the entire mission up until three days before the separation of the Flyby and Impactor vehicles. The problems presented by Deep Impact's daily operations and the development of scripts and procedures to ease those challenges resulted in several valuable lessons learned. These lessons are now being integrated into the design of current and future MGSS missions at JPL.

Operator Performance Evaluation of Fault Management Interfaces for Next-Generation Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayashi, Miwa; Ravinder, Ujwala; Beutter, Brent; McCann, Robert S.; Spirkovska, Lilly; Renema, Fritz

2008-01-01

In the cockpit of the NASA's next generation of spacecraft, most of vehicle commanding will be carried out via electronic interfaces instead of hard cockpit switches. Checklists will be also displayed and completed on electronic procedure viewers rather than from paper. Transitioning to electronic cockpit interfaces opens up opportunities for more automated assistance, including automated root-cause diagnosis capability. The paper reports an empirical study evaluating two potential concepts for fault management interfaces incorporating two different levels of automation. The operator performance benefits produced by automation were assessed. Also, some design recommendations for spacecraft fault management interfaces are discussed.

Operations concepts for Mars missions with multiple mobile spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dias, William C.

1993-01-01

Missions are being proposed which involve landing a varying number (anywhere from one to 24) of small mobile spacecraft on Mars. Mission proposals include sample returns, in situ geochemistry and geology, and instrument deployment functions. This paper discusses changes needed in traditional space operations methods for support of rover operations. Relevant differences include more frequent commanding, higher risk acceptance, streamlined procedures, and reliance on additional spacecraft autonomy, advanced fault protection, and prenegotiated decisions. New methods are especially important for missions with several Mars rovers operating concurrently against time limits. This paper also discusses likely mission design limits imposed by operations constraints .

Tracking and data systems support for the Helios project. Volume 1: Project development through end of mission, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodwin, P. S.; Traxler, M. R.; Meeks, W. G.; Flanagan, F. M.

1976-01-01

The overall evolution of the Helios Project is summarized from its conception through to the completion of the Helios-1 mission phase 2. Beginning with the project objectives and concluding with the Helios-1 spacecraft entering its first superior conjunction (end of mission phase 2), descriptions of the project, the mission and its phases, international management and interfaces, and Deep Space Network-spacecraft engineering development in telemetry, tracking, and command systems to ensure compatibility between the U.S. Deep Space Network and the German-built spacecraft are included.

View of Mission Control Center during the Apollo 13 oxygen cell failure

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-04-14

S70-34904 (14 April 1970) --- Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., prime crew commander of the Apollo 14 mission, monitors communications between the Apollo 13 spacecraft and Mission Control Center. He is seated at a console in the Mission Operations Control Room of the MCC, Manned Spacecraft Center. The main concern of the moment was action taken by the three Apollo 13 crewmen - astronauts James A. Lovell Jr., John L. Swigert Jr. and Fred W. Haise Jr. - to make corrections inside the spacecraft following discovery of an oxygen cell failure several hours earlier.

Major technological innovations introduced in the large antennas of the Deep Space Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Imbriale, W. A.

2002-01-01

The NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) is the largest and most sensitive scientific, telecommunications and radio navigation network in the world. Its principal responsibilities are to provide communications, tracking, and science services to most of the world's spacecraft that travel beyond low Earth orbit. The network consists of three Deep Space Communications Complexes. Each of the three complexes consists of multiple large antennas equipped with ultra sensitive receiving systems. A centralized Signal Processing Center (SPC) remotely controls the antennas, generates and transmits spacecraft commands, and receives and processes the spacecraft telemetry.

Eight microprocessor-based instrument data systems in the Galileo Orbiter spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, R. C.

1980-01-01

Instrument data systems consist of a microprocessor, 3K bytes of Read Only Memory and 3K bytes of Random Access Memory. It interfaces with the spacecraft data bus through an isolated user interface with a direct memory access bus adaptor, and/or parallel data from instrument devices such as registers, buffers, analog to digital converters, multiplexers, and solid state sensors. These data systems support the spacecraft hardware and software communication protocol, decode and process instrument commands, generate continuous instrument operating modes, control the instrument mechanisms, acquire, process, format, and output instrument science data.

Expedition 55 Soyuz Docking

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-23

Icons for the International Space Station and Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft are seen on a tracking map on a screen in the Moscow Mission Control Center as the spacecraft approaches for docking, Friday, March 23, 2018 in Korolev, Russia. The Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft carrying Expedition 55-56 crewmembers Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel of NASA docked at 3:40 p.m. Eastern time (10:40 p.m. Moscow time) on March 23 and joined Expedition 55 Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA, and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

The Role of Teaching Grammar in First Language Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir, Sezgin; Erdogan, Ayse

2018-01-01

Grammar; while originating from the natural structure of the language also is the system which makes it possible for different language functions meet within the body of common rules especially communication. Having command of the language used, speaking and writing it correctly require strong grammar knowledge actually. However only knowing the…

La ensenanza de idiomas en Puerto Rico (Language Teaching in Puerto Rico)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Llorens, Washington

1976-01-01

The poor command of Spanish common to many Puerto Ricans is due, not to the teaching of English as a second language, but to the poor instruction of the native language and the lack of emphasis on reading good Spanish literature. The two languages can coexist. (Text is in Spanish.) (CHK)

Freedom and Restrictions in Language Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donnell, Roy C.

Since freedom of thought and expression is essential in a democracy, censorship of language is rightly regarded as a threat to all other freedoms. Still, it is inevitable that certain restrictions will occasionally be imposed on language in America and in other societies. Restrictions on language date back to the Ten Commandments, which condemned…

Functional description of a command and control language tutor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elke, David R.; Seamster, Thomas L.; Truszkowski, Walter

1990-01-01

The status of an ongoing project to explore the application of Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) technology to NASA command and control languages is described. The primary objective of the current phase of the project is to develop a user interface for an ITS to assist NASA control center personnel in learning Systems Test and Operations Language (STOL). Although this ITS will be developed for Gamma Ray Observatory operators, it will be designed with sufficient flexibility so that its modules may serve as an ITS for other control languages such as the User Interface Language (UIL). The focus of this phase is to develop at least one other form of STOL representation to complement the operational STOL interface. Such an alternative representation would be adaptively employed during the tutoring session to facilitate the learning process. This is a key feature of this ITS which distinguishes it from a simulator that is only capable of representing the operational environment.

Skylab 3 Command Module is hoisted aboard prime recovery ship

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-09-25

S73-36423 (25 Sept. 1973) --- The Skylab 3 Command Module, with astronauts Alan L. Bean, Owen K. Garriott and Jack R. Lousma still inside, is hoisted aboard the prime recovery ship, USS New Orleans, during recovery operations in the Pacific Ocean. The three crewmen had just completed a successful 59-day visit to the Skylab space station in Earth orbit. The Command Module splashed down in the Pacific about 230 miles southwest of San Diego, California. Earlier in the recovery operations a team of U.S. Navy swimmers attached the flotation collar to the spacecraft to improve its buoyancy. Photo credit: NASA

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, right, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov and Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, left, donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, left, and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov and Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

Expedition 10 Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

DTO 1118 - Survey of the Mir Space Station

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-01-29

STS089-714-072 (22-31 Jan. 1998) --- A series of 70mm still shots was recorded of Russia's Mir Space Station from the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Endeavour following undocking of the two spacecraft. Onboard the Mir at this point were cosmonaut Anatoly Y. Solovyev, commander; Pavel V. Vinogradov, flight engineer; and Andrew S. W. Thomas, cosmonaut guest researcher. Onboard Endeavour were Terrence W. (Terry) Wilcutt, commander; Joe F. Edwards Jr., pilot; Bonnie J. Dunbar, payload commander; mission specialists David A. Wolf (former cosmonaut guest researcher), Michael P. Anderson, James F. Reilly, and Salizhan S. Sharipov, representing Russian Space Agency (RSA). Photo credit: NASA

Examining the Effectiveness of an Academic Language Planning Organizer as a Tool for Planning Science Academic Language Instruction and Supports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Karl G.; Brown, Julie C.

2016-01-01

To engage in the practices of science, students must have a strong command of science academic language. However, content area teachers often make academic language an incidental part of their lesson planning, which leads to missed opportunities to enhance students' language development. To support pre-service elementary science teachers (PSTs) in…

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-10 (RECOVERY) - ASTRONAUT JOHN W. YOUNG - MISC. - ATLANTIC

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-07-21

S66-42772 (21 July 1966) --- A U.S. Navy frogman assist the Gemini-10 crew following splashdown at 4:07 p.m. (EST), July 21, 1966, about four miles from the recovery ship, USS Guadalcanal. Astronaut John W. Young (climbing from spacecraft), command pilot, and Michael Collins (in spacecraft), pilot, were later hoisted from the water by a recovery helicopter and flown to the Guadalcanal. Photo credit: NASA

Dragon Spacecraft grappled by SSRMS

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-04-17

ISS043E122264 (04/17/2015) --- The Canadarm 2 reaches out to grapple the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft and prepare it to be pulled into its port on the International Space Station. Robotics officers at Mission Control, in the Johnson Space Center Houston Texas will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to maneuver Dragon to its installation position at the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module where it will reside for the next five weeks.

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is raised into position shortly after it was rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

Pad technicians secure the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft shortly after it was rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is raised into position shortly after it was rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-31

Pad technicians prepare to raise the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft shortly after it was rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

A Russian security officer stands guard as the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Splashdown - Gemini-Titan (GT-12) Spacecraft - Mission Close - Atlantic

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-11-15

S66-59986 (15 Nov. 1966) --- The Gemini spaceflight program concludes as the Gemini-12 spacecraft, with astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., command pilot, and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., pilot, aboard, nears touchdown in the Atlantic Ocean 2.5 nautical miles from the prime recovery ship, USS Wasp. Gemini-12 splashed down at 2:21 p.m. (EST), Nov. 11, 1966, to conclude the four-day mission in space. Photo credit: NASA

Artist's drawing of internal arrangement of orbiting Apollo and Soyuz crafts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Artist's drawing illustrating the internal arrangement of orbiting the Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft in Earth orbit in a docked configuration. The three American Apollo crewmen and the two Soviet Soyuz crewmen will transfer to each other's spacecraft during the July Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission. The four ASTP visible components are, left to right, the Apollo Command Module, the Docking Module, the Soyuz Orbital Module and the Soyuz Descent Vehicle.

Communicating with Voyager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumas, Larry N.; Hornstein, Robert M.

1990-01-01

The Deep Space Network for receiving Voyager 2 data is discussed. The functions of the earth-Voyager radio link are examined, including radiometrics, transmission of commands to the spacecraft, radio sciences, and the transmission of telemetry from the spacecraft to earth. The use of ranging, Doppler, and VLBI measurements to maintain position and velocity data on Voyager 2 is described. Emphasis is placed on the international tracking network for obtaining Voyager 2 data on Neptune and Triton.

View of the approach of the new Soyuz Spacecraft taken during Expedition Three

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-10-23

ISS003-324-034 (23 October 2001) --- A Soyuz spacecraft approaches the International Space Station (ISS) carrying the Soyuz Taxi crew, Commander Victor Afanasyev, Flight Engineer Konstantin Kozeev and French Flight Engineer Claudie Haignere for an eight-day stay on the station. Afanasyev and Kozeev represent Rosaviakosmos, and Haignere represents ESA, carrying out a flight program for CNES, the French Space Agency, under a commercial contract with the Rosaviakosmos.

ASTP crewmen in Docking Module trainer during training session at JSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

An interior view of the Docking Module trainer in bldg 35 during Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) joint crew training at JSC. Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, commander of the American ASTP prime crew, is on the right. The other crewman is Cosmonaut Aleksey A. Leonov, commander of the Soviet ASTP prime crew. The training session simulated activities on the second day in Earth orbit. The Docking Module is designed to link the Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft.

Launch of Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-12-21

S68-56050 (21 Dec. 1968)--- The Apollo 8 (Spacecraft 103/Saturn 503) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), at 7:51 a.m. (EST), Dec. 21, 1968. The crew of the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission is astronauts Frank Borman, commander; James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; and William A. Anders, lunar module pilot. Apollo 8 is the first manned Saturn V launch. (water in foreground, seagulls)

Expedition 34 Crew Lands

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-03-16

Expedition 34 Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin of Russia is helped out a Russian Search and Rescue helicopter after flying from his Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft landing site outside the town of Arkalyk to Kustanay, Kazakhstan on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Tarelkin, along with Commander Kevin Ford of NASA and Russian Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy returned from 142 days onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 33 and 34 crews. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Tone based command system for reception of very weak signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bokulic, Robert Steven (Inventor); Jensen, James Robert (Inventor)

2006-01-01

This disclosure presents a communication receiver system for spacecraft that includes an open loop receiver adapted to receive a communication signal. An ultrastable oscillator (USO) and a tone detector are connected to the open loop receiver. The open loop receiver translates the communication signal to an intermediate frequency signal using a highly stable reference frequency from the USO. The tone detector extracts commands from the communication signal by evaluating the difference between tones of the communication signal.

NHQ_2017_0086_Expedition 50 Crew Lands Safely in Kazakhstan to Complete Six-Month Mission

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-04-10

Expedition 50 Commander Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Soyuz Commander Sergey Ryzhikov and Flight Engineer Andrey Borisenko of Roscosmos landed safely near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan April 10 after bidding farewell to their colleagues on the complex and undocking their Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft from the Poisk Module on the International Space Station. The trio spent 173 days in space conducting research and operational work in support of the station.

Expedition 34 Crew Lands

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-03-16

Cars carrying Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford of NASA, Russian Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy and Russian Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin pull up to the terminal at the Kustanay Airport a few hours after the crew landed their Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Ford, Novitskiy, and, Tarelkin returned from 142 days onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 33 and 34 crews. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Spaceport Command and Control System User Interface Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huesman, Jacob

2016-01-01

The Spaceport Command and Control System will be the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's newest system for launching commercial and government owned spacecraft. It's a large system with many parts all in need of testing. To improve upon testing already done by NASA engineers, the Engineering Directorate, Electrical Division (NE-E) of Kennedy Space Center has hired a group of interns each of the last few semesters to develop novel ways of improving the testing process.

Reliability Analysis and Standardization of Spacecraft Command Generation Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meshkat, Leila; Grenander, Sven; Evensen, Ken

2011-01-01

center dot In order to reduce commanding errors that are caused by humans, we create an approach and corresponding artifacts for standardizing the command generation process and conducting risk management during the design and assurance of such processes. center dot The literature review conducted during the standardization process revealed that very few atomic level human activities are associated with even a broad set of missions. center dot Applicable human reliability metrics for performing these atomic level tasks are available. center dot The process for building a "Periodic Table" of Command and Control Functions as well as Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) models is demonstrated. center dot The PRA models are executed using data from human reliability data banks. center dot The Periodic Table is related to the PRA models via Fault Links.

Deep Space Telecommunications Systems Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuen, J. H. (Editor)

1982-01-01

Descriptive and analytical information useful for the optimal design, specification, and performance evaluation of deep space telecommunications systems is presented. Telemetry, tracking, and command systems, receiver design, spacecraft antennas, frequency selection, interference, and modulation techniques are addressed.

LEAVING PAD - ASTRONAUT JOHN W. YOUNG - TRAINING

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-03-19

S65-20636 (1965) --- Astronauts John W. Young (left), pilot, and Virgil I. Grissom, command pilot, for the Gemini-Titan 3 flight, are shown leaving the launch pad after simulations in the Gemini-3 spacecraft.

INFLIGHT - APOLLO X

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-05-25

S69-34969 (24 May 1969) --- Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, Apollo 10 commander, is seen in this color reproduction taken from a telecast made by the color television camera aboard the Apollo 10 spacecraft during its trans-Earth journey home.

ISLE (Image and Signal LISP Environment): A functional language interface for signal and image processing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Azevedo, S.G.; Fitch, J.P.

1987-10-21

Conventional software interfaces that use imperative computer commands or menu interactions are often restrictive environments when used for researching new algorithms or analyzing processed experimental data. We found this to be true with current signal-processing software (SIG). As an alternative, ''functional language'' interfaces provide features such as command nesting for a more natural interaction with the data. The Image and Signal LISP Environment (ISLE) is an example of an interpreted functional language interface based on common LISP. Advantages of ISLE include multidimensional and multiple data-type independence through dispatching functions, dynamic loading of new functions, and connections to artificial intelligence (AI)more » software. 10 refs.« less

ISLE (Image and Signal Lisp Environment): A functional language interface for signal and image processing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Azevedo, S.G.; Fitch, J.P.

1987-05-01

Conventional software interfaces which utilize imperative computer commands or menu interactions are often restrictive environments when used for researching new algorithms or analyzing processed experimental data. We found this to be true with current signal processing software (SIG). Existing ''functional language'' interfaces provide features such as command nesting for a more natural interaction with the data. The Image and Signal Lisp Environment (ISLE) will be discussed as an example of an interpreted functional language interface based on Common LISP. Additional benefits include multidimensional and multiple data-type independence through dispatching functions, dynamic loading of new functions, and connections to artificial intelligencemore » software.« less

Quadratic Programming for Allocating Control Effort

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Gurkirpal

2005-01-01

A computer program calculates an optimal allocation of control effort in a system that includes redundant control actuators. The program implements an iterative (but otherwise single-stage) algorithm of the quadratic-programming type. In general, in the quadratic-programming problem, one seeks the values of a set of variables that minimize a quadratic cost function, subject to a set of linear equality and inequality constraints. In this program, the cost function combines control effort (typically quantified in terms of energy or fuel consumed) and control residuals (differences between commanded and sensed values of variables to be controlled). In comparison with prior control-allocation software, this program offers approximately equal accuracy but much greater computational efficiency. In addition, this program offers flexibility, robustness to actuation failures, and a capability for selective enforcement of control requirements. The computational efficiency of this program makes it suitable for such complex, real-time applications as controlling redundant aircraft actuators or redundant spacecraft thrusters. The program is written in the C language for execution in a UNIX operating system.

Docking system for spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Jon B. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

A mechanism is disclosed for the docking of a spacecraft to a space station where a connection for transfer of personnel and equipment is desired. The invention comprises an active docking structure on a spacecraft and a passive docking structure on the station. The passive structure includes a docking ring mounted on a tunnel structure fixed to the space station. The active structure includes a docking ring carried by an actuator-attenuator devices, each attached at one end to the ring and at its other end in the spacecraft payload bay. The devices respond to command signals for moving the docking ring between a stowed position in the spacecraft to a deployed position suitable for engagement with the docking ring. The devices comprise means responsive to signals of sensed loadings to absorb impact energy and retraction means for drawing the coupled spacecraft and station into final docked configuration and moving the tunnel structure to a berthed position in the spacecraft. Latches couple the spacecraft and space station upon contact of the docking rings and latches establish a structural tie between the spacecraft when retracted.

Attitude analysis of the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) yaw turn anomaly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kronenwetter, J.; Phenneger, M.; Weaver, William L.

1988-01-01

The July 2 Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) hydrazine thruster-controlled yaw inversion maneuver resulted in a 2.1 deg/sec attitude spin. This mode continued for 150 minutes until the spacecraft was inertially despun using the hydrazine thrusters. The spacecraft remained in a low-rate Y-axis spin of .06 deg/sec for 3 hours until the B-DOT control mode was activated. After 5 hours in this mode, the spacecraft Y-axis was aligned to the orbit normal, and the spacecraft was commanded to the mission mode of attitude control. This work presents the experience of real-time attitude determination support following analysis using the playback telemetry tape recorded for 7 hours from the start of the attitude control anomaly.

Application of Effective Techniques in Teaching/Learning English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arora, Shweta; Joshi, Kavita A.; Koshy, Sonymol; Tewari, Deeksha

2017-01-01

English being a global language has become a vital element in all walks of life. The feelers of this language have left no sphere unmarked with its significance. Despite such a colossal tide for gaining command over the language it was found that the conventional pattern of teaching English language could not reap desired results. A comprehensive…

Telemetry Attributes Transfer Standard (TMATS) Handbook

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

Example ......................... 6-1 Appendix A. Extensible Markup Language TMATS Differences ...................................... A-1 Appendix B...return-to-zero - level TG Telemetry Group TM telemetry TMATS Telemetry Attributes Transfer Standard XML eXtensible Markup Language Telemetry... Markup Language) format. The initial version of a standard 1 Range Commanders Council. Telemetry

Gravity Probe B spacecraft description

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Norman R.; Burns, Kevin; Katz, Russell; Kirschenbaum, Jon; Mason, Gary; Shehata, Shawky

2015-11-01

The Gravity Probe B spacecraft, developed, integrated, and tested by Lockheed Missiles & Space Company and later Lockheed Martin Corporation, consisted of structures, mechanisms, command and data handling, attitude and translation control, electrical power, thermal control, flight software, and communications. When integrated with the payload elements, the integrated system became the space vehicle. Key requirements shaping the design of the spacecraft were: (1) the tight mission timeline (17 months, 9 days of on-orbit operation), (2) precise attitude and translational control, (3) thermal protection of science hardware, (4) minimizing aerodynamic, magnetic, and eddy current effects, and (5) the need to provide a robust, low risk spacecraft. The spacecraft met all mission requirements, as demonstrated by dewar lifetime meeting specification, positive power and thermal margins, precision attitude control and drag-free performance, reliable communications, and the collection of more than 97% of the available science data.

Language translation, doman specific languages and ANTLR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craymer, Loring; Parr, Terence

2002-01-01

We will discuss the features of ANTLR that make it an attractive tool for rapid developement of domain specific language translators and present some practical examples of its use: extraction of information from the Cassini Command Language specification, the processing of structured binary data, and IVL--an English-like language for generating VRML scene graph, which is used in configuring the jGuru.com server.

Economy of Command

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medeiros, David Peter

2012-01-01

This dissertation proposes a principle of "economy of command", arguing that it provides a simple and natural explanation for some well-known properties of human language syntax. The focus is on the abstract combinatorial system that constructs the hierarchical structure of linguistic expressions, with long-distance dependencies…

StarPlan: A model-based diagnostic system for spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heher, Dennis; Pownall, Paul

1990-01-01

The Sunnyvale Division of Ford Aerospace created a model-based reasoning capability for diagnosing faults in space systems. The approach employs reasoning about a model of the domain (as it is designed to operate) to explain differences between expected and actual telemetry; i.e., to identify the root cause of the discrepancy (at an appropriate level of detail) and determine necessary corrective action. A development environment, named Paragon, was implemented to support both model-building and reasoning. The major benefit of the model-based approach is the capability for the intelligent system to handle faults that were not anticipated by a human expert. The feasibility of this approach for diagnosing problems in a spacecraft was demonstrated in a prototype system, named StarPlan. Reasoning modules within StarPlan detect anomalous telemetry, establish goals for returning the telemetry to nominal values, and create a command plan for attaining the goals. Before commands are implemented, their effects are simulated to assure convergence toward the goal. After the commands are issued, the telemetry is monitored to assure that the plan is successful. These features of StarPlan, along with associated concerns, issues and future directions, are discussed.

Apollo 11 Launched Via Saturn V Rocket

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

The Apollo 11 mission, the first manned lunar mission, launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida via the Saturn V launch vehicle on July 16, 1969 and safely returned to Earth on July 24, 1969. The Saturn V vehicle produced a holocaust of flames as it rose from its pad at Launch complex 39. The 363 foot tall, 6,400,000 pound rocket hurled the spacecraft into Earth parking orbit and then placed it on the trajectory to the moon for man's first lunar landing. The Saturn V was developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) under the direction of Dr. Wernher von Braun. Aboard the spacecraft were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, Command Module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Lunar Module pilot. With the success of Apollo 11, the national objective to land men on the Moon and return them safely to Earth had been accomplished.

Recovery

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-12-18

S66-15802 (18 Dec. 1965) --- A camera on a recovery helicopter captured this scene as the Gemini-7 spacecraft slowly descends to the surface of the Atlantic Ocean to conclude a record-breaking 14-day mission in space. Aboard the spacecraft were astronauts Frank Borman, command pilot, and James A. Lovell Jr., pilot. Splashdown was at 9:05 a.m. (EST), Dec. 18, 1965. The two astronauts were hoisted from the water by a helicopter crew and flown to the aircraft carrier. Photo credit: NASA

Astronaut Ronald Evans is suited up for EVA training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Astronaut Ronald E. Evans, command module pilot of the Apollo 17 lunar landing mission, is assisted by technicians in suiting up for extravehicular activity (EVA) training in a water tank in bldg 5 at the Manned Spacecraft Center (49970); Evans participates in EVA training in a water tank in bldg 5 at the Manned Spacecraft Center. The structure in the picture simulates the Scientific Instrument Module (SIM) bay of the Apollo 17 Service Module (49971).

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

The sun rises behind the Soyuz launch pad shortly before the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-30

The sun rises behind the Soyuz launch pad shortly before the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is rolled out by the train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 321, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

The Importance of Accurate Secondary Electron Yields in Modeling Spacecraft Charging

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

Release; Distribution Unlimited AIR FORCE GEOPHYSICS LABORATORY AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMAND •IDTIC UNITED STATES AIR FORCE FLECTE HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE...properties are taken to be those of solor cell rover slip model developed for NASCAP (MandeU et at, (1984)) since most of the exterior surface of the...Research 85, 1155, 1980. Garrett, H. B., "Spacecraft Charging: A Review", in Space Systems and Their Interactions with the Earth’. Space Environment, H

Astronaut David Scott - Sample - "Genesis Rock" - MSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-08-12

S71-43477 (12 Aug. 1971) --- Astronaut David R. Scott, right, commander of the Apollo 15 mission, gets a close look at the sample referred to as "Genesis rock" in the Non-Sterile Nitrogen Processing Line (NNPL) in the Lunar Receiving Laboratory (LRL) at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). Scientist-astronaut Joseph P. Allen IV, left, an Apollo 15 spacecraft communicator, looks on with interest. The white-colored rock has been given the permanent identification of 15415.

Proceedings of the 1998 Space Control Conference,

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-16

later in this paper. The second radar under development was the HAVE STARE radar. This was also an X -band radar but was a mechanically steered, dish... spacecraft . The commands are sent via electronic link to Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory for inclusion in the MSX upload and are uplinked...with all the other sensors on the MSX along the + X axis of the spacecraft and is not sepa- rately gimbaled. Thus, to point the SBV, the entire

Astronaut John Young displays drawing of Snoopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 10 command module pilot, displays drawing of Snoopy in this color reproduction taken from the fourth telecast made by the color television camera aboard the Apollo 10 spacecraft. When this picture was made the Apollo 10 spacecraft was about half-way to the moon, or approximately 112,000 nautical miles from the earth. Snoopy will be the code name of the Lunar Module (LM) during Apollo 10 operations when the LM and CM are separated.

KSC-2009-5413

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-11

KAZAKHASTAN - The Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael Barratt, and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberte near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Padalka and Barratt are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station, along with Laliberte who arrived at the station on Oct. 2 with Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Jeff Williams and Maxim Suraev aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

KSC-2009-5412

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-11

KAZAKHASTAN - The Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael Barratt, and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberte near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Padalka and Barratt are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station, along with Laliberte who arrived at the station on Oct. 2 with Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Jeff Williams and Maxim Suraev aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

KSC-2009-5414

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-11

KAZAKHASTAN - The Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael Barratt, and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberte near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Padalka and Barratt are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station, along with Laliberte who arrived at the station on Oct. 2 with Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Jeff Williams and Maxim Suraev aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Wheel speed management control system for spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodzeit, Neil E. (Inventor); Linder, David M. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A spacecraft attitude control system uses at least four reaction wheels. In order to minimize reaction wheel speed and therefore power, a wheel speed management system is provided. The management system monitors the wheel speeds and generates a wheel speed error vector. The error vector is integrated, and the error vector and its integral are combined to form a correction vector. The correction vector is summed with the attitude control torque command signals for driving the reaction wheels.

A feedback linearization approach to spacecraft control using momentum exchange devices. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dzielski, John Edward

1988-01-01

Recent developments in the area of nonlinear control theory have shown how coordiante changes in the state and input spaces can be used with nonlinear feedback to transform certain nonlinear ordinary differential equations into equivalent linear equations. These feedback linearization techniques are applied to resolve two problems arising in the control of spacecraft equipped with control moment gyroscopes (CMGs). The first application involves the computation of rate commands for the gimbals that rotate the individual gyroscopes to produce commanded torques on the spacecraft. The second application is to the long-term management of stored momentum in the system of control moment gyroscopes using environmental torques acting on the vehicle. An approach to distributing control effort among a group of redundant actuators is described that uses feedback linearization techniques to parameterize sets of controls which influence a specified subsystem in a desired way. The approach is adapted for use in spacecraft control with double-gimballed gyroscopes to produce an algorithm that avoids problematic gimbal configurations by approximating sets of gimbal rates that drive CMG rotors into desirable configurations. The momentum management problem is stated as a trajectory optimization problem with a nonlinear dynamical constraint. Feedback linearization and collocation are used to transform this problem into an unconstrainted nonlinear program. The approach to trajectory optimization is fast and robust. A number of examples are presented showing applications to the proposed NASA space station.

Apollo 8 prime crew seen during water egress training in Gulf of Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

The prime crew of the Apollo 8 mission in life raft awaiting pickup by U.S. Coast Guard helicopter during water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. They had just egressed Apollo Boilerplate 1102A, at left. Inflated bags were used to upright the boilerplate. Left to right, are Astronauts William A. Anders, lunar module pilot; James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; and Frank Borman, commander. A team of Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) swimmers assisted with the training exercise.

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-08

Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, right, Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, lower left, conducted a final inspection of their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft, Saturday, October 9, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in preparation for their launch October 14 to the International Space Station. The Soyuz vehicle will be mated to its booster rocket October 11 in preparation for its rollout to the Central Asian launch pad October 12. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-08

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, right, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov and Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, left, conducted a final inspection of their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft on Saturday, October 9, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in preparation for their launch October 14 to the International Space Station. The Soyuz vehicle will be mated to its booster rocket October 11 in preparation for its rollout to the Central Asian launch pad October 12. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-08

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov and Russian Space Forces Cosmonaut Yuri Shargin conducted a final inspection of their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Saturday, October 9, 2004 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in preparation for their launch October 14 to the International Space Station. The Soyuz vehicle will be mated to its booster rocket October 11 in preparation for its rollout to the Central Asian launch pad October 12. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-08

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, right, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov and Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin conducted a final inspection of their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft, Saturday, October 9, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in preparation for their launch October 14 to the International Space Station. The Soyuz vehicle will be mated to its booster rocket October 11 in preparation for its rollout to the Central Asian launch pad October 12. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-08

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, left, Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, lower right, conducted a final inspection of their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft on Saturday, October 9, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in preparation for their launch October 14 to the International Space Station. The Soyuz vehicle will be mated to its booster rocket October 11 in preparation for its rollout to the Central Asian launch pad October 12. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Apollo 8 prime crew seen during water egress training in Gulf of Mexico

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-10-19

S68-53217 (19 Oct. 1968) --- Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot of the Apollo 8 prime crew, in special net being hoisted up to a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter during water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. Awaiting his turn for helicopter pickup is astronaut William A. Anders (in raft), lunar module pilot. Astronaut Frank Borman, commander, had already been picked up. A team of Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) swimmers assisted with the training exercise.

Apollo 9 Command Module aboard the U.S.S. Guadalcanal

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-13

S69-20239 (13 March 1969) --- Close-up view of the Apollo 9 Command Module (CM) as it sets on dolly on the deck of the USS Guadalcanal just after being hoisted from the water. The Apollo 9 spacecraft, with astronauts James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart aboard, splashed down at 12:00:53 p.m. (EST), March 13, 1969, only 4.5 nautical miles from the aircraft carrier to conclude a successful 10-day Earth-orbital mission in space.

Launch of STS-60 Shuttle Discovery

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-02-03

STS060-S-105 (3 Feb 1994) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery heads toward an eight-day mission in Earth orbit with five NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut aboard. Liftoff occurred as scheduled at 7:10 a.m. (EST), February 3, 1994. Aboard the spacecraft were astronauts Charles F. Bolden Jr., commander; Kenneth S. Reightler Jr., pilot; Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, payload commander; and N. Jan Davis and Ronald M. Sega, mission specialists, along with Russian cosmonaut Sergei K. Krikalev, also a mission specialist.

Launch of STS-60 Shuttle Discovery

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-02-03

STS060-S-106 (3 Feb 1994) --- Palm trees are silhouetted in the foreground of this 70mm image as the Space Shuttle Discovery heads toward an eight-day mission in Earth orbit. Liftoff occurred as scheduled at 7:10 a.m. (EST), February 3, 1994. Aboard the spacecraft were astronauts Charles F. Bolden Jr., commander; Kenneth S. Reightler Jr., pilot; Franklin R. Chang-Diaz, payload commander; and N. Jan Davis and Ronald M. Sega, mission specialists, along with Russian cosmonaut Sergei K. Krikalev, also a mission specialist.

Ground level view of Apollo 14 space vehicle leaving VAB for launch pad

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-11-09

S70-54121 (9 Nov. 1970) --- A ground level view at Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), showing the Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower, atop a huge crawler-transporter, were rolled out to Pad A. The Apollo 14 crewmen will be astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

Expedition 34 Crew Lands

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-03-16

Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford of NASA poses for a photograph with women in ceremonial Kazakh dress at the Kustanay Airport in Kazakhstan a few hours after he, along with Expedition 34 Russian Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy, and Russian Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin, landed their Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft near the town of Arkalyk on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Ford, Novitskiy, and, Tarelkin returned from 142 days onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 33 and 34 crews. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 34 Crew Lands

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-03-16

Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford of NASA poses for a photograph after receiving welcome home gifts at the Kustanay Airport in Kazakhstan a few hours after he, along with Expedition 34 Russian Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy, and Russian Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin, landed their Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft near the town of Arkalyk on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Ford, Novitskiy, and, Tarelkin returned from 142 days onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 33 and 34 crews. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 34 Crew Lands

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-03-16

Expedition 34 Russian Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy, left, and Russian Flight Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin pose for a photograph with women in ceremonial Kazakh dress at the Kustanay Airport in Kazakhstan a few hours after they, along with Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford of NASA, landed their Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft near the town of Arkalyk on Saturday, March 16, 2013. Novitskiy, Tarelkin, and Ford returned from 142 days onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 33 and 34 crews. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Prelaunch - Apollo 10 (rollout)

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-03-11

S69-27915 (11 March 1969) --- Aerial view at Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, showing a close-up of the 363-feet tall Apollo 10 (Spacecraft 106/Lunar Module 4/Saturn 505) space vehicle on its way to Pad B. The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower are atop a huge crawler-transporter. The Apollo 10 flight is scheduled as a lunar orbit mission. The Apollo 10 crew will be astronauts Thomas P. Stafford, commander; John W. Young, command module pilot; and Eugene A. Cernan, lunar module pilot.

APOLLO VIII - LAUNCH - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-12-21

S68-56002 (21 Dec. 1968) --- The Apollo 8 (Spacecraft 103/Saturn 503) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), at 7:51 a.m. (EST), Dec. 21, 1968. The crew of the Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission is astronauts Frank Borman, commander; James A. Lovell Jr., command module pilot; and William A. Anders, lunar module pilot. Apollo 8 was the first manned Saturn V launch. (F-ls 1/3 way from top of mobile launch tower.)

Expedition 39 Soyuz TMA-11M Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-14

Ground personnel race to the landing site as the Soyuz TMA-11M spacecraft lands with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, May 14, 2014. Wakata, Tyurin and Mastracchio returned to Earth after more than six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 38 and 39 crews. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Analysis and Defense of Vulnerabilities in Binary Code

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-29

language . We demonstrate our techniques by automatically generating input filters from vulnerable binary programs. vi Acknowledgments I thank my wife, family...21 2.2 The Vine Intermediate Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 ix 2.2.1 Normalized Memory...The Traditional Weakest Precondition Semantics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 3.2.1 The Guarded Command Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Corpus-Based Optimization of Language Models Derived from Unification Grammars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rayner, Manny; Hockey, Beth Ann; James, Frankie; Bratt, Harry; Bratt, Elizabeth O.; Gawron, Mark; Goldwater, Sharon; Dowding, John; Bhagat, Amrita

2000-01-01

We describe a technique which makes it feasible to improve the performance of a language model derived from a manually constructed unification grammar, using low-quality untranscribed speech data and a minimum of human annotation. The method is on a medium-vocabulary spoken language command and control task.

Man-Machine Communication in Remote Manipulation: Task-Oriented Supervisory Command Language (TOSC).

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

ORIENTED SUPERVISORY CONTROL SYSTEM METHODOLOGY 3-1 3.1 Overview 3-1 3.2 Background 3-3 3.2.1 General 3-3 3.2.2 Preliminary Principles of Command Language...Design 3-4 3.2.3 Preliminary Principles of Feedback Display Design 3-9 3.3 Man-Machine Communication Models 3-12 3.3.1 Background 3-12 3.3.2 Adapted...and feedback mode. The work ends with the presentation of a performance prediction model and a set of principles and guidelines, applicable to the

The computational structural mechanics testbed procedures manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Caroline B. (Compiler)

1991-01-01

The purpose of this manual is to document the standard high level command language procedures of the Computational Structural Mechanics (CSM) Testbed software system. A description of each procedure including its function, commands, data interface, and use is presented. This manual is designed to assist users in defining and using command procedures to perform structural analysis in the CSM Testbed User's Manual and the CSM Testbed Data Library Description.

Ada and the rapid development lifecycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deforrest, Lloyd; Gref, Lynn

1991-01-01

JPL is under contract, through NASA, with the US Army to develop a state-of-the-art Command Center System for the US European Command (USEUCOM). The Command Center System will receive, process, and integrate force status information from various sources and provide this integrated information to staff officers and decision makers in a format designed to enhance user comprehension and utility. The system is based on distributed workstation class microcomputers, VAX- and SUN-based data servers, and interfaces to existing military mainframe systems and communication networks. JPL is developing the Command Center System utilizing an incremental delivery methodology called the Rapid Development Methodology with adherence to government and industry standards including the UNIX operating system, X Windows, OSF/Motif, and the Ada programming language. Through a combination of software engineering techniques specific to the Ada programming language and the Rapid Development Approach, JPL was able to deliver capability to the military user incrementally, with comparable quality and improved economies of projects developed under more traditional software intensive system implementation methodologies.

Avionics System Architecture Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chau, Savio; Hall, Ronald; Traylor, marcus; Whitfield, Adrian

2005-01-01

Avionics System Architecture Tool (ASAT) is a computer program intended for use during the avionics-system-architecture- design phase of the process of designing a spacecraft for a specific mission. ASAT enables simulation of the dynamics of the command-and-data-handling functions of the spacecraft avionics in the scenarios in which the spacecraft is expected to operate. ASAT is built upon I-Logix Statemate MAGNUM, providing a complement of dynamic system modeling tools, including a graphical user interface (GUI), modeling checking capabilities, and a simulation engine. ASAT augments this with a library of predefined avionics components and additional software to support building and analyzing avionics hardware architectures using these components.

Early results of the ionospheric experiment of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grossi, M. D.; Gay, R. H.

1976-01-01

A description is presented of a spacecraft-to-spacecraft Doppler-tracking experiment which was performed by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory on the occasion of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP). The experiment involved the measurement of the relative velocity between the ASTP docking module and the Apollo command service module by a Doppler-tracking method. The objectives of the ionospheric experiment include the measurement of the time changes of the columnar electron content between the two spacecraft. The obtained data can provide a basis for the determination of the horizontal gradients of electron density at the height of 220 km.

Thermal design of the IUE hydrazine auxiliary propulsion system. [International Ultraviolet Explorer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skladany, J. T.; Kelly, W. H.

1977-01-01

The International Ultraviolet Explorer is a large astronomical observatory scheduled to be placed in a three-axis stabilized synchronous orbit in the fourth quarter of 1977. The Hydrazine Auxiliary Propulsion System (HAPS) must perform a number of spacecraft maneuvers to achieve a successful mission. This paper describes the thermal design which accomplishes temperature control between 5 and 65 C for all orbital conditions by utilizing multilayer insulation and commandable component heaters. A primary design criteria was the minimization of spacecraft power by the selective use of the solar environment. The thermal design was carefully assessed and verified in both spacecraft thermal balance and subsystem solar simulation testing.

Application of an onboard processor to the OAO C spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, W. N.; Hartenstein, R. G.; Trevathan, C.

1972-01-01

The design of a stored program computer for spacecraft use and its application on the fourth Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) is reported. The computer is a medium scale, parallel machine with a memory capacity of 16384 words of 18 bits each. It possesses a comprehensive instruction repertoire and operates on 45 W of power (including the dc-to-dc converter). The machine operates at a 500-kHz rate and executes an add instruction in 10 microseconds. Its primary functions on OAO C will be auxiliary command storage, spacecraft monitoring and malfunction reporting, data compression and status summary, and possible performance of emergency corrective action for certain anomalous situations.

Expedition 55 Soyuz Docking

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-23

Guests watch a live view of the International Space Station, as seen by cameras onboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft with Expedition 55-56 crewmembers Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel of NASA, on screens at the Moscow Mission Control Center as the spacecraft approaches for docking, Friday, March 23, 2018 in Korolev, Russia. The Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft carrying Artemyev, Feustel, and Arnold docked at 3:40 p.m. Eastern time (10:40 p.m. Moscow time) and joined Expedition 55 Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA, and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Expedition 55 Soyuz Docking

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-23

A live view of the International Space Station, as seen by cameras onboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft with Expedition 55-56 crewmembers Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel of NASA, is seen on screens at the Moscow Mission Control Center as the spacecraft approaches for docking, Friday, March 23, 2018 in Korolev, Russia. The Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft carrying Artemyev, Feustel, and Arnold docked at 3:40 p.m. Eastern time (10:40 p.m. Moscow time) and joined Expedition 55 Commander Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA, and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Expedition 54 Soyuz Docking

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-19

Icons for the International Space Station and Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft are seen on a tracking map on a screen in the Moscow Mission Control Center as the spacecraft approaches for docking, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017 in Korolev, Russia. The Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft carrying Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA, and Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) docked with the International Space Station at 3:39 a.m. EST, Tuesday, Dec. 19 while 250 statute miles over the southern coast of Italy and joined Expedition 54 Commander Alexander Misurkin of Roscosmos, and NASA astronauts Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Language Development: 2 Year Olds

MedlinePlus

... Ribbon Commands Skip to main content Turn off Animations Turn on Animations Our Sponsors Log in | Register Menu Log in | ... enrich his vocabulary and language skills by making reading a part of your everyday routine. At this ...

KSC-108-75P-0005

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-01-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Model of docked Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft in the foreground and skylight in the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay frame the second stage of the Saturn 1B booster that will launch the United States ASTP mission as a crane raises it prior to its mating with the Saturn 1B first stage. Mating of the Saturn 1B first and second stages was completed this morning. The U. S. ASTP launch with mission commander Thomas Stafford, command module pilot Vance Brand and docking module pilot Donald Slayton is scheduled at 3:50 p.m. EDT July 15. The first international crewed spaceflight was a joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. rendezvous and docking mission. The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, or ASTP, took its name from the spacecraft employed: the American Apollo and the Soviet Soyuz. The three-man Apollo crew lifted off from Kennedy Space Center aboard a Saturn IB rocket on July 15, 1975, to link up with the Soyuz that had launched a few hours earlier. A cylindrical docking module served as an airlock between the two spacecraft for transfer of the crew members. Photo credit: NASA

Program for Editing Spacecraft Command Sequences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gladden, Roy; Waggoner, Bruce; Kordon, Mark; Hashemi, Mahnaz; Hanks, David; Salcedo, Jose

2006-01-01

Sequence Translator, Editor, and Expander Resource (STEER) is a computer program that facilitates construction of sequences and blocks of sequences (hereafter denoted generally as sequence products) for commanding a spacecraft. STEER also provides mechanisms for translating among various sequence product types and quickly expanding activities of a given sequence in chronological order for review and analysis of the sequence. To date, construction of sequence products has generally been done by use of such clumsy mechanisms as text-editor programs, translating among sequence product types has been challenging, and expanding sequences to time-ordered lists has involved arduous processes of converting sequence products to "real" sequences and running them through Class-A software (defined, loosely, as flight and ground software critical to a spacecraft mission). Also, heretofore, generating sequence products in standard formats has been troublesome because precise formatting and syntax are required. STEER alleviates these issues by providing a graphical user interface containing intuitive fields in which the user can enter the necessary information. The STEER expansion function provides a "quick and dirty" means of seeing how a sequence and sequence block would expand into a chronological list, without need to use of Class-A software.

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

Expedition 10 Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, foreground, Expedition 10 Commander, Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, background, donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, giving thumbs up, Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 10 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-10-04

Expedition 10 Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, right, Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao, Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, left, donned their launch and entry suits and climbed aboard their Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft Friday, October 5, 2004, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a dress rehearsal of launch day activities leading to their liftoff October 14 to the International Space Station. Chiao and Sharipov, the first crew of all-Asian extraction, will spend six months on the Station. Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Stations' current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer Mike Fincke. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Advances in Discrete-Event Simulation for MSL Command Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patrikalakis, Alexander; O'Reilly, Taifun

2013-01-01

In the last five years, the discrete event simulator, SEQuence GENerator (SEQGEN), developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to plan deep-space missions, has greatly increased uplink operations capacity to deal with increasingly complicated missions. In this paper, we describe how the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) project makes full use of an interpreted environment to simulate change in more than fifty thousand flight software parameters and conditional command sequences to predict the result of executing a conditional branch in a command sequence, and enable the ability to warn users whenever one or more simulated spacecraft states change in an unexpected manner. Using these new SEQGEN features, operators plan more activities in one sol than ever before.

Reliable transfer of data from ground to space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brosi, Fred

1993-01-01

This paper describes the problems involved in uplink of data from control centers on the ground to spacecraft, and explores the solutions to those problems, past. present. and future. The evolution of this process, from simple commanding to transfer of large volumes of data and commands is traced. The need for reliable end-to-end protocols for commanding and file transfer is demonstrated, and the shortcomings of both existing telecommand protocols and commercial products to meet this need are discussed. Recent developments in commercial protocols that may be adaptable to the mentioned operations environment are surveyed, and current efforts to develop a suite of protocols for reliable transfer in this environment are presented.

VAPEPS user's reference manual, version 5.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, D. M.

1988-01-01

This is the reference manual for the VibroAcoustic Payload Environment Prediction System (VAPEPS). The system consists of a computer program and a vibroacoustic database. The purpose of the system is to collect measurements of vibroacoustic data taken from flight events and ground tests, and to retrieve this data and provide a means of using the data to predict future payload environments. This manual describes the operating language of the program. Topics covered include database commands, Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) prediction commands, stress prediction command, and general computational commands.

Science Planning for the Solar Probe Plus NASA Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusterer, M. B.; Fox, N. J.; Turner, F. S.; Vandegriff, J. D.

2015-12-01

With a planned launch in 2018, there are a number of challenges for the Science Planning Team (SPT) of the Solar Probe Plus mission. The geometry of the celestial bodies and the spacecraft during some of the Solar Probe Plus mission orbits cause limited uplink and downlink opportunities. The payload teams must manage the volume of data that they write to the spacecraft solid-state recorders (SSR) for their individual instruments for downlink to the ground. The aim is to write the instrument data to the spacecraft SSR for downlink before a set of data downlink opportunities large enough to get the data to the ground and before the start of another data collection cycle. The SPT also intend to coordinate observations with other spacecraft and ground based systems. To add further complexity, two of the spacecraft payloads have the capability to write a large volumes of data to their internal payload SSR while sending a smaller "survey" portion of the data to the spacecraft SSR for downlink. The instrument scientists would then view the survey data on the ground, determine the most interesting data from their payload SSR, send commands to transfer that data from their payload SSR to the spacecraft SSR for downlink. The timing required for downlink and analysis of the survey data, identifying uplink opportunities for commanding data transfers, and downlink opportunities big enough for the selected data within the data collection period is critical. To solve these challenges, the Solar Probe Plus Science Working Group has designed a orbit-type optimized data file priority downlink scheme to downlink high priority survey data quickly. This file priority scheme would maximize the reaction time that the payload teams have to perform the survey and selected data method on orbits where the downlink and uplink availability will support using this method. An interactive display and analysis science planning tool is being designed for the SPT to use as an aid to planning. The tool will integrate the data file priority downlink scheme, payload data volume allocations, spacecraft ephemeris, attitude, downlink and uplink schedules, spacecraft and payload activities, and other spacecraft ephemeris. A prototype of the tool is in development using notional inputs obtained from the spacecraft engineering teams.

LLOGO: An Implementation of LOGO in LISP. Artificial Intelligence Memo Number 307.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Ira; And Others

LISP LOGO is a computer language invented for the beginning student of man-machine interaction. The language has the advantages of simplicity and naturalness as well as that of emphasizing the difference between programs and data. The language is based on the LOGO language and uses mnemonic syllables as commands. It can be used in conjunction with…

Protecting Against Faults in JPL Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, Paula

2007-01-01

A paper discusses techniques for protecting against faults in spacecraft designed and operated by NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The paper addresses, more specifically, fault-protection requirements and techniques common to most JPL spacecraft (in contradistinction to unique, mission specific techniques), standard practices in the implementation of these techniques, and fault-protection software architectures. Common requirements include those to protect onboard command, data-processing, and control computers; protect against loss of Earth/spacecraft radio communication; maintain safe temperatures; and recover from power overloads. The paper describes fault-protection techniques as part of a fault-management strategy that also includes functional redundancy, redundant hardware, and autonomous monitoring of (1) the operational and health statuses of spacecraft components, (2) temperatures inside and outside the spacecraft, and (3) allocation of power. The strategy also provides for preprogrammed automated responses to anomalous conditions. In addition, the software running in almost every JPL spacecraft incorporates a general-purpose "Safe Mode" response algorithm that configures the spacecraft in a lower-power state that is safe and predictable, thereby facilitating diagnosis of more complex faults by a team of human experts on Earth.

Panoramic attitude sensor for Radio Astronomy Explorer B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomsen, R.

1973-01-01

An instrument system to acquire attitude determination data for the RAE-B spacecraft was designed and built. The system consists of an electronics module and two optical scanner heads. Each scanner head has an optical scanner with a field of view of 0.7 degrees diameter which scans the sky and measures the position of the moon, earth and sun relative to the spacecraft. This scanning is accomplished in either of two modes. When the spacecraft is spinning, the scanner operates in spherical mode, with the spacecraft spin providing the slow sweep of lattitude to scan the entire sky. After the spacecraft is placed in lunar orbit and despun, the scanner will operate in planar mode, advancing at a rate of 5.12 seconds per revolution in a fixed plane parallel to the spacecraft Z axis. This scan will cross and measure the moon horizons with every revolution. Each scanner head also has a sun slit which is aligned parallel to the spin axis of the spacecraft and which provides a sun pulse each revolution of the spacecraft. The electronics module provides the command and control, data processing and housekeeping functions.

Apollo 13 Astronaut Thomas Mattingly during water egress training

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-01-17

S70-24016 (17 Jan. 1970) --- Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot of the Apollo 13 lunar landing mission, participates in water egress training in a water tank in Building 260 at the Manned Spacecraft Center.

Remote Agent Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benard, Doug; Dorais, Gregory A.; Gamble, Ed; Kanefsky, Bob; Kurien, James; Millar, William; Muscettola, Nicola; Nayak, Pandu; Rouquette, Nicolas; Rajan, Kanna;

Prototyping with Application Generators: Lessons Learned from the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System Case

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

Prototyping with Application Generators: Lessons Learned from the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System Case. This study... management information system to automate manual Naval aviation maintenance tasks-NALCOMIS. With the use of a fourth-generation programming language

Virtual Machine Language 2.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riedel, Joseph E.; Grasso, Christopher A.

2012-01-01

VML (Virtual Machine Language) is an advanced computing environment that allows spacecraft to operate using mechanisms ranging from simple, time-oriented sequencing to advanced, multicomponent reactive systems. VML has developed in four evolutionary stages. VML 0 is a core execution capability providing multi-threaded command execution, integer data types, and rudimentary branching. VML 1 added named parameterized procedures, extensive polymorphism, data typing, branching, looping issuance of commands using run-time parameters, and named global variables. VML 2 added for loops, data verification, telemetry reaction, and an open flight adaptation architecture. VML 2.1 contains major advances in control flow capabilities for executable state machines. On the resource requirements front, VML 2.1 features a reduced memory footprint in order to fit more capability into modestly sized flight processors, and endian-neutral data access for compatibility with Intel little-endian processors. Sequence packaging has been improved with object-oriented programming constructs and the use of implicit (rather than explicit) time tags on statements. Sequence event detection has been significantly enhanced with multi-variable waiting, which allows a sequence to detect and react to conditions defined by complex expressions with multiple global variables. This multi-variable waiting serves as the basis for implementing parallel rule checking, which in turn, makes possible executable state machines. The new state machine feature in VML 2.1 allows the creation of sophisticated autonomous reactive systems without the need to develop expensive flight software. Users specify named states and transitions, along with the truth conditions required, before taking transitions. Transitions with the same signal name allow separate state machines to coordinate actions: the conditions distributed across all state machines necessary to arm a particular signal are evaluated, and once found true, that signal is raised. The selected signal then causes all identically named transitions in all present state machines to be taken simultaneously. VML 2.1 has relevance to all potential space missions, both manned and unmanned. It was under consideration for use on Orion.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-09-09

This is the official NASA portrait of astronaut James Lovell. Captain Lovell was selected as an Astronaut by NASA in September 1962. He has since served as backup pilot for the Gemini 4 flight and backup Commander for the Gemini 9 flight, as well as backup Commander to Neil Armstrong for the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. On December 4, 1965, he and Frank Borman were launched into space on the history making Gemini 7 mission. The flight lasted 330 hours and 35 minutes and included the first rendezvous of two manned maneuverable spacecraft. The Gemini 12 mission, commanded by Lovell with Pilot Edwin Aldrin, began on November 11, 1966 for a 4-day, 59-revolution flight that brought the Gemini program to a successful close. Lovell served as Command Module Pilot and Navigator on the epic six-day journey of Apollo 8, the first manned Saturn V liftoff responsible for allowing the first humans to leave the gravitational influence of Earth. He completed his fourth mission as Spacecraft Commander of the Apollo 13 flight, April 11-17, 1970, and became the first man to journey twice to the moon. The Apollo 13 mission was cut short due to a failure of the Service Module cryogenic oxygen system. Aborting the lunar course, Lovell and fellow crewmen, John L. Swigert and Fred W. Haise, working closely with Houston ground controllers, converted their lunar module, Aquarius, into an effective lifeboat that got them safely back to Earth. Captain Lovell held the record for time in space with a total of 715 hours and 5 minutes until surpassed by the Skylab flights. On March 1, 1973, Captain Lovell retired from the Navy and the Space Program.

System design of the Pioneer Venus spacecraft. Volume 9: Attitude control/mechanisms subsystems studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neil, A. L.

1973-01-01

The Pioneer Venus mission study was conducted for a probe spacecraft and an orbiter spacecraft to be launched by either a Thor/Delta or an Atlas/Centaur launch vehicle. Both spacecraft are spin stabilized. The spin speed is controlled by ground commands to as low as 5 rpm for science instrument scanning on the orbiter and as high as 71 rpm for small probes released from the probe bus. A major objective in the design of the attitude control and mechanism subsystem (ACMS) was to provide, in the interest of costs, maximum commonality of the elements between the probe bus and orbiter spacecraft configurations. This design study was made considering the use of either launch vehicle. The basic functional requirements of the ACMS are derived from spin axis pointing and spin speed control requirements implicit in the acquisition, cruise, encounter and orbital phases of the Pioneer Venus missions.

A spacecraft attitude and articulation control system design for the Comet Halley intercept mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Key, R. W.

1981-01-01

An attitude and articulation control system design for the Comet Halley 1986 intercept mission is presented. A spacecraft dynamics model consisting of five hinge-connected rigid bodies is used to analyze the spacecraft attitude and articulation control system performance. Inertial and optical information are combined to generate scan platform pointing commands. The comprehensive spacecraft model has been developed into a digital computer simulation program, which provides performance characteristics and insight pertaining to the control and dynamics of a Halley Intercept spacecraft. It is shown that scan platform pointing error has a maximum value of 1.8 milliradians during the four minute closest approach interval. It is also shown that the jitter or scan platform pointing rate error would have a maximum value of 2.5 milliradians/second for the nominal 1000 km closest approach distance trajectory and associated environment model.

jsc2011e215337

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-12-08

The three crewmembers who will round out the Expedition 30 crew on the International Space Station are greeted by Nikolai Zelinchikov of Soyuz spacecraft manufacturer RSC-Energia upon their arrival in Baikonur, Kazakhstan Dec. 8, 2011 for final pre-launch preparations. From left to right are NASA Flight Engineer Don Pettit, Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko, Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers of the European Space Agency and Zelinchikov. Pettit, Kononenko and Kuipers will launch to the station on Dec. 21 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on the Soyuz TMA-03M spacecraft. Courtesy: NASA

Expedition 23 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-31

The flags of the United States, Russia and Kazakhstan are seen at the launch pad after the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft was rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March, 31, 2010. The launch of the Soyuz spacecraft with Expedition 23 Soyuz Commander Alexander Skvortsov of Russia, Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko of Russia, and NASA Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson is scheduled for Friday, April 2, 2010 at 10:04 a.m. Kazakhstan time. Photo Credit (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 20 Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-10

Russian Search and Rescue force vehicles follow the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft as it lands with Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael Barratt, and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberté near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Padalka and Barratt are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station, along with Laliberté who arrived at the station on Oct. 2 with Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Jeff Williams and Maxim Suraev aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 20 Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-10

A Russian Search and Rescue force helicopter flies around the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft as it lands with Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael Barratt, and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberté near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Padalka and Barratt are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station, along with Laliberté who arrived at the station on Oct. 2 with Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Jeff Williams and Maxim Suraev aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Expedition 20 Landing

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-10

Russian Search and Rescue force vehicles and helicopter arrive within seconds of the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft landing with Expedition 20 Commander Gennady Padalka, Flight Engineer Michael Barratt, and spaceflight participant Guy Laliberté near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Padalka and Barratt are returning from six months onboard the International Space Station, along with Laliberté who arrived at the station on Oct. 2 with Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Jeff Williams and Maxim Suraev aboard the Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)