An Enhanced Role for Scientific CubeSats. Science Mission Directorate

Transcription

1 An Enhanced Role for Scientific CubeSats at NASA Science Mission Directorate David M. Klumpar Discipline Scientist Science Mission Directorate/Heliophysics Division NASA Headquarters April 24, 2014

2 CubeSat National Aeronautics and Space Administration Advisory Groups NAC and ASAP Chief Financial Officer* Inspector General Chief Information Officer* Administrator Deputy Administrator Associate Administrator Chief of Staff Associate Deputy Administrator Associate Deputy Administrator for Strategy and Policy Assistant Associate Administrator Chief Scientist Chief Technologist Diversity and Equal Opportunity Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs* Chief Engineer Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance Education Communications* Chief Health and Medical Officer International and Interagency Relations Small Business Programs General Counsel Key Stipple Outer Shading Indicates CubeSatrelated Activities Mission Support Directorate Human Capital Management Strategic Infrastructure Headquarters Operations NASA Shared Services Center Internal Controls and Management Systems Procurement Protective Services NASA Management Office Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Science Mission Directorate Reporting Structure Administrator Deputy Administrator Associate Administrator Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate Space Technology Mission Directorate Ames Research Center Dryden Flight Research Center Glenn Research Center Goddard Space Flight Center Jet Propulsion Laboratory Note: * Center functional office directors report to Agency functional AA. Deputy and below report to Center leadership. Johnson Space Center Kennedy Space Center Langley Research Center Marshall Space Flight Center Stennis Space Center February 2013

3 NASA SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE Earth Heliophysics Planets Astrophysics Advancing Earth System Science to meet the challenges of Seeking to understand the Sun and its interactions with the Earth and Ascertaining the content, origin and evolution of the solar system and the Discovering how the universe works, exploring how the universe began and climate and environmental solar system potential for life elsewhere evolved, and searching for Earth sized planets change NASA s Science Plan is available at: us/science strategy/

4 Language from the President s FY2015 NASA Budget summary Budget summary The CubeSat project offers a low cost option for enabling scientific discovery across the various themes and disciplines in the Science Mission Directorate. CubeSats are very small spacecraft, as small as a few inches square, which can launch as secondary ("tag along") payloads, on either orbital or sub orbital b rockets. At costs that can be less than $1 to $2 million per satellite and with rapid development cycles, CubeSats are now a viable frequent flight opportunity for rapid innovation in science and technology. CubeSatswill address space technologyandexploration exploration systems development needs and will leverage exploratory and systematic science observations at a minimal cost. CubeSats have the potential to reduce risk by testing new technologies before using them in missions that are more expensive. NASA plans to select multiple CubeSat investigations in FY NASA expects delivery of the CubeSats approximately 24 months after award, and at least one CubeSat may launch by 2016.

5 The President s FY2015 * NASA Budget Request Science: Heliophysics: Heliophysics Research OTHER MISSIONS AND DATA ANALYSIS * October 1, 2014 September 30, page: HELIO 9

6 Science Mission Directorate CubeSat Initiative Now (FY14): $25M program over 5 years Baseline: $5M/year 2014, 2015, 2016,. All SMD Divisions iii participate; ii managed by the Heliophysics Division Competitive; peer review - Select compelling, highest priority science - Maximize cost efficiency: Science/dollar - Minimize program infrastructure & operating costs Fast start: Launches beginning in 2016 How will the program be managed? Lean Infrastructure: Program managed at Hq; fraction FTE Low Cost Access to Space (Sounding Rockets) philosophy > risk tolerance (20% might fail) April 2014

7 SMD CubeSat Proposal Opportunities Virtually all science-motivated* CubeSat-based investigations are solicited in one omnibus Research Announcement (60 distinct subelements) Current Solicitation: Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES-14) nspires.nasaprs.com nasaprs > Solicitations > Open > NNH14ZDA001N Subelement Examples (incomplete list) Appendix A.30 Remote Sensing Theory for Earth Science (see also separate non ROSES calls under the Earth Sciences ESTO program; Earth Ventures) Appendix B.3: Heliophysics Technology and Instrument Development for Science (HTIDS) Appendix D3Astrophysics D.3 Research and Analysis Program (APRA) Planetary (in preparation) * Note that CubeSat based technology demonstrations are solicited by the Space Technology Mission Directorate under various programs: Go to

8 How do you propose There are multiple calls for proposals (each of the four science divisions has it s own solicitation) all are contained as sub elements within the omnibus ROSES research announcement Search the full ROSES document for the term CubeSat Determine which science division your proposal fit into (Astrophysics, Earth Science, Planetary Science, Heliophysics) Study that specific call for proposals carefully, paying attention to the guidelines on what types of investigations are appropriate and to the evaluation criteria Generally, you must propose a complete investigation Compelling science question Full implementation plan Instruments, spacecraft, communications, operations, data analysis plan, budget, schedule. Form your team you may not have all of the capability you need at your institution: Science PI should be the lead (most of these ROSES proposals are selected foremost on science promise) Pay close attention to the solicitation details. Dates are hard deadlines. Some subelements use a two step proposal process: Step one a formal required notice of intent to propose. Title, approach, names and institutions of all investigators. Step two: the full proposal (typically two months later). Typically pages of technical content.

9 Heliophysics Division Objectives and Programs Strategic Objective: Understand the sun and its interactionswith Earth and the solar system Explorers poes Smaller, Competed Flight Program Research Research tasks utilizing suborbital and existing assets Solve fundamental mysteries of Heliophysics: Explore the physical processes in the space environment from the sun to the Earth and throughout the solar system Understand the nature of our home in space: Advance our understanding of the connections that link the sun, the Earth and planetary space environments, and the outer reaches of our solar system. Build the knowledge to forecast space weather throughout the heliosphere: Develop the knowledge and capability to detect and predict extreme conditions in space to protect life and society and to safeguard human and robotic explorers beyond Earth. Solar Terrestrial Probes Strategic Mission Flight Program Living With a Star Strategic Mission Flight Program

10 Current and planned CubeSat related activity d li it ti SMD Di i i 1 and solicitations across SMD s Divisions 1 Earth Sciences Division ROSES: Earth science proposalsfor CubeSats will be solicited under Earth Venture Instrument or Earth Venture Mission calls. TBA Heliophysics Division ROSES 14 AppendixB 3 Heliophysics Technology and Instrument Development for Science (H TIDeS) LCAS Element Proposals Due: 6/13/14: Mandatory Step 1: Investigation plan and all coinvestigators 8/16/14: Step 2: Full proposals Anticipated Funding A total of about $4.5M program funds next fiscal year will allow the selection of about 12 new awards from proposals for LCAS ($35M) ($3.5M), ITD ($.8M), and LNAPP ($0.4M). Research Opportunities in Earth and Space Sciences (ROSES) 2014 Solicitation (NNH14ZDA001N) released 2/18/14:

11 Current and planned CubeSat related activity and solicitations across SMD s Divisions 2 Planetary Sciences Division Astrophysics Division Approach: Develop enabling CubeSat technology to perform science in concert with a larger observatory at a planetary body In orbit: Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses (OREOS) In development: ExoPlanetSat and Interplanetary NanoSpacecraft Pathfinder in a Relevant Environment (INSPIRE) In Study: in concert with Europa Clipper mission Solicitation in preparation p ROSES 13, Appendix D.3, Astrophysics Research and Analysis Program (APRA) NOI: 01/23/2015 Full Proposals: 03/20/2015 Research Opportunities in Earth and Space Sciences (ROSES) 2014 Solicitation (NNH14ZDA001N) released 2/18/14:

12 CubeSats as Secondaries on NASA s Space Launch System (SLS) CubeSat Accommodation NASA's Space Launch System (SLS): The new heavy lift rocket designed to carry astronauts to an asteroid and Mars.

13 Where no man has gone before (nano)satellite Beginning Dec : SLS Launch beyond Earth s gravitational well End of mission Capacity: up to 12 6U CubeSats Potential Destinations: Moon Lunar, Planetary, Asteroids, Interplanetary, Solar ICPS under d Power Disposal Maneuver completion March 2014

14 Solar Orbiter Constellation CubeSat Locations relative to Earth at eight 1 month intervals Deployment The Parker spiral superimposed on the orbit of the Earth (red), EM 1 (green) and Venus (blue). March 2014 Start at about 1 o clock and follow the orbit CCW of the Earth (blue) and EM 1 cubesats (green) Red lines show month by month evolution of the Earth cubesat link distance.

15 Possible Centennial Challenges for CubeSats Incentivize advancement of propulsion and communication technologies for lunar and for deep space applications. return largest volume of error free data from lunar or beyond without use of government assets demonstrate t lunar orbital plane change from equatorial to polar or furthest distance from Earth Operate for one year or be the last CubeSat standing Challenge Phases Ground Qualification Prize (Phase I) Compete for GQP prize funds (6@$100,000) 000) Compete for secondary payload spots on EM 1 (SLS) In Space Prize (Phase II) EM 1 Ride (2017) Get your own ride Winners determined one year after EM 1 launch

16 CubeSat Deep Space Challenge

17 CubeSat Centennial Challenge Program Status Comment period on Concept of Operations closed March 31. (29 responses) Added Additional Funding Options in Phase I Added Option to get non NASA ride for Phase II Plans May 2014: Release updated Con Ops and Draft Rules and Sources Sought for organization to manage the Challenge (Federal Business Opportunities) August: Challenge Decision/Announcement(s) (Federal Register) POC Larry P. Cooper, NASA HQ HQ STMD CentennialChallenges@mail.nasa.gov

18 Summary NASA s FY14 Budget included $5M for CubeSats based science investigations a new budget line for the Science Mission Directorate; expected to continue into the future competed Across NASA, multiple CubeSat efforts are under way or have been completed. both internal and external. Multiple solicitations currently open will accept CubeSat based proposals Interplanetary and cislunar launch capability is on the horizon (circa 2017) CubeSat Centennial Challenge opportunities for propulsion and long distance communications are in process (this year) The future is bright for CubeSats through NASA!!