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The Wide-Field Multi Object Spectrometer (WFMOS) along with corrective optics will mount in place of the Secondary Mirror of the Subaru telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii to allow simultaneous observations of cosmologic targets. It will conduct large scale Galactic Archeology and Dark Energy surveys to help unlock the secrets of the universe. The key enabler of the observations is an array of 2400 Cobra...
Compact radio sources are routinely used as reference calibrators in VLBI observations of radio sources to accurately determine the latter's position. Similar techniques have been developed over the years to determine the position of spacecrafts with remarkable accuracy at the level of a few nano-radians. We have carried out measurements at the DSN (Deep Space Network) that show great promise to further...
Current communication satellites are generally based on circuit technology and fixed-location terminals. In the future, satellites are expected to use packet-based (i.e., Internet) technology, and to support mobile as well as fixed-location terminals. We refer to these types of networks as future satellite packet networks (FSPNs). FSPNs will allow anywhere-to-anywhere global network connectivity for...
Delay-Tolerant Networkingrdquo (DTN) is a neologism used for a new store-and-forward architecture and protocol suite intended for disrupted networks where there is intermittent or ad-hoc connectivity. This has been proposed as one approach to supporting delay-tolerant networks. Work in the late 1990s on the ldquoInterplanetary Internetrdquo forms the basis for current DTN protocols and architecture...
The Aerospace Corporation was tasked to assess radio frequency (RF) blackout phenomena caused by plasma generation around vehicles during reentry and presently known methodologies for mitigation of this condition inhibiting communications. The purpose was to understand these phenomena and mitigation approaches applicable to reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) used for commercial space. The viability and...
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NCAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) have provided direct broadcast of meteorological data to users since the mid-1970s. For the newest GOES series, GOES-R, GOES Rebroadcast (GRB) will replace the GOES Variable (GVAR) broadcast to continue to make ground-processed sensor data available to the weather operations, research,...
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (formerly named GLAST) was designed and built by NASA, the United States Department of Energy, and agencies in France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Sweden. It launched in June of 2008 and has been observing the gamma-ray sky for over 6 months. This paper describes the mission overview and the mission systems; outlines how the instruments work; summarizes the on-orbit...
The gravity recovery and interior laboratory (GRAIL) mission is the most recently selected NASA discovery mission. The GRAIL mission will utilize two spacecraft flying in tandem to provide a crust-to-core lunar gravity map. This lunar gravity map will provide important insight into the evolution of the Moon and other planetary bodies. The mission is currently in development with a September 2011 planned...
Juno, the second mission within the New Frontiers Program, is a Jupiter polar orbiter mission designed to return high-priority science data that spans across multiple divisions within NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Juno's science objectives, coupled with the natural constraints of a cost-capped, PI-led mission and the harsh environment of Jupiter, have led to a very unique mission and spacecraft...
The Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) Mission is the first detailed exploration of Earth's Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs). AIM was selected from NASA's 1999 Small Explorer (SMEX) Announcement of Opportunity to accomplish the first detailed observations of these clouds to aid our understanding of how and why they form. Polar Mesospheric Clouds form during the polar summers. These clouds have...
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mission will land a 900-kg rover on the surface of Mars in 2010. Four Mars Lander Engines (MLE's) will be fired during the final propulsive descent to maintain a 0.75 m/s vertical rate of descent, in support of a tethered landing approach referred to as the ldquoSky-Cranerdquo. At 20 m above the surface the rover will be lowered on a bridle as it continues to descend...
The FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC mission consisting of six satellites is the world's first demonstration of near real-time operational GPS Radio Occultation (RO) constellation mission. The success of the mission expected to operate through 2011 has initiated a new era for operational GPS RO soundings. The World Meteorological Organization had recommended continuing RO observations operationally and urges planning...
The Department of Defense (DoD) space test program (STP) was created in 1965 to provide flight opportunities for all DoD research and development activities in an economic and efficient manner. STP predominantly flies payloads that have gone through the space experiments review board (SERB) process, however the program does have the ability to fly other government-sponsored payloads on a reimbursable...
Retro rocket Earth landing system architectures for the Orion crew module were developed for the Constellation Program during the Landing System Advanced Development Project design trades. The architectures include both variable and fixed impulse base-mounted solid-propellant retro rocket motors for vertical and horizontal landing velocity control. Monte Carlo performance analyses were conducted,...
Atmospheric aerosols have been associated with adverse health effects in areas of high concentrations. This is due to the ability of these sub-micrometer particles to penetrate further into the lung and alveoli for humans and animals. Besides this, aerosols are linked to have a significant influence on climate change and visibility. Therefore, it is important to have an effective technique to determine...
This paper summarizes the development from 2000 to the present of ride-share capabilities by various Government Agencies and Organizations. This development will allow acceptable, low-cost access to space for small satellites and payloads. The paper reviews the needs for such capabilities and provides an overview of the development and status of the enabling technologies, hardware, etc. required to...
The 2009 Mars Science Laboratory mission has brought renewed awareness to the difficulty of landing large payloads on the surface of Mars. As a result, a new suite of decelerator technologies is being investigated for future robotic and human-precursor missions. One such technology is the supersonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerator (IAD). Previous studies have shown that a supersonic IAD can provide...
In-situ characterization of the surface properties of small solar system objects, such as asteroids and comets, is important to understanding their properties and evolution. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.'s asteroid surface probes (ASP) provide a vehicle to gather specific in-situ scientific data that cannot be obtained from orbiting craft. A simple architecture with a small form factor,...
This paper examines a multi-level quantitative schedule analysis and estimating approach similar to one that is used when evaluating proposal costs, and cost risks. The Aerospace Corporation has developed a process for performing independent schedule estimates (ISE), which utilizes an analogy-based schedule assessment methodology, permitting greater insight into mission development times. The authors...
A multi-mission approach to solving the same problems for various projects is enticing. However, the multi-mission approach leads to the need to develop a configurable, adaptable and distributed system for meeting unique project requirements. That, in turn, leads to a set of challenges varying from handling synchronization issues to coming up with a smart design that allows the ldquounknownsrdquo...
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