A system of software has been designed to enable autonomous operations of the three University-built miniature spacecraft of the Three Corner Sat mission, scheduled for launch in 2003. The main software subsystems and their functions are the following:
- The Spacecraft Command Language (SCL) robust-execution program will demonstrate aspects of low-level autonomy, including event-driven execution, local retries, low-level responses to faults, and validation of commands.
- The Continuous Activity Scheduling Planning Execution and Replanning (CASPER) program will demonstrate onboard continuous planning to enable the 3CS constellation to respond to mission anomalies, mission opportunities, and onboard evaluations of scientific data, thereby utilizing feedback to integrate planning with execution.
- A data-validation module will use heuristic methods to score utility of scientific images; CASPER will then use the utility scores in planning future operations, discarding images of lowest utility, and prioritizing downlink resources to send the best images first.
- The Selective Monitoring (SELMON) anomaly-detection-and-isolation program will use empirically derived error bounds to enable context-sensitive detection of anomalies.
- A package of basic spacecraft-coordination software will ensure that one of the spacecraft takes charge of maintaining the plan of operations for all three spacecraft.
This program was written by Barbara Engelhardt, Colette Wilklow, Gregg Rabideau, Robert Sherwood, Russell Knight, and Steve Chien of Caltech for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. For further information, access the Technical Support Package (TSP) free on-line at www.nasatech.com/tsp under the Software category.
This software is available for commercial licensing. Please contact Don Hart of the California Institute of Technology at (818) 393-3425. Refer to NPO-30277.
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
Software for Onboard Autonomy of a Three-Spacecraft Mission
(reference NPO-30277) is currently available for download from the TSP library.
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Overview
The document is a technical support package prepared by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) under NASA contract NAS 7−918, detailing the Three Corner Sat (3CS) mission, which involves three university nanosatellites scheduled for launch in late 2002. The primary focus of the 3CS mission is to implement significant onboard autonomy to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of space operations.
The document highlights the novelty of the 3CS mission, emphasizing its innovative approach to onboard science data validation, responsive replanning, robust execution, and anomaly detection using multiple models. These capabilities are designed to address several critical challenges in space missions, including spacecraft coordination, limited downlink bandwidth, recovery from spacecraft anomalies, and the labor-intensive nature of ground sequencing.
The mission's autonomous features are expected to open new opportunities in space-borne science and exploration that would be unattainable without such advanced technology. The document also references a publication by key contributors, including S. Chien, B. Engelhardt, R. Knight, G. Rabideau, R. Sherwood, and others, which provides further details on the technical aspects and implications of the onboard autonomy being developed for the 3CS mission.
Additionally, the document includes a notice stating that the information contained within is provided for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the United States Government or JPL. It also clarifies that the work was conducted at JPL under NASA's sponsorship, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the project.
Overall, the document serves as a comprehensive overview of the 3CS mission's objectives, the innovative technologies being developed, and the potential impact on future space exploration endeavors. It underscores the importance of autonomy in spacecraft operations, which is crucial for maximizing scientific returns while minimizing the need for extensive ground support. The advancements demonstrated through the 3CS mission could significantly influence the design and execution of future missions in the realm of space science and exploration.
