National Strategy for Advanced Spaceport and Range Technologies

1. Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee Advanced Spaceport Technologies Working Group Advanced Range Technologies Working Group Reducing the cost of sustained operations through technology infusion Keith Britton NASA KSC October 2004

2. The ARTWG & ASTWG : Responding to National Needs U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, “Reducing Launch Operations Costs: New Technologies and Practices”, OTA-TM-ISC-28 • “Reducing these costs, therefore, should be a critical part of any effort to reduce the life-cycle cost of a space transportation system.” Presidential Directed OSTP & NSC Report: The Future Management and Use of the U.S. Space Launch Bases and Ranges • “The Air Force and NASA should develop a plan to examine, explore, and proceed with next-generation range technology development….” Defense Science Board Summer 2001 Study (related to technology development in general) • “…foster “relationships” and create new incentives with critical technology sectors to motivate them to apply their knowledge and technologies to critical national security challenges.” Presidential Directed Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry • “The federal government must assume responsibility for sustaining, modernizing, and providing critical, often high-risk, defense-related technologies and infrastructure when it is in the nation’s interest. This includes critical design capabilities, solid rocket boosters, radiation hardening, space launch infrastructure, critical research, …” NASA, The Vision for Space Exploration “ NASA will focus on technology innovations that reduce the cost of sustained space operations”. “The Vision is not about one-time events and, thus, costs will be reduced to maintain the affordability of the vision” “Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration;” President’s Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy “Finding 4 – The commission finds that successful development of identified enabling technologies will be critical to attainment of exploration objectives within reasonable scheduled an and affordable costs. …17 areas for initial focus.. …We identify the following enabling technologies, which are not yet prioritized:… Transformational spaceport and range technologies – launch site infrastructure and range capabilities for the crew exploration vehicle and advanced heavy lift vehicles.” Sept 1988 Feb 2000 May 2002 Nov 2002 Feb 2004 June 2004

3. National Vision for Tomorrow • High flight rates • Increase responsiveness • Support concurrent operations • Reduce costs • Seamlessly integrated with National Airspace System • Global coverage • Nationally Interoperable • Implement standardization • Enhance flexibility & adaptability

4. What is the ARTWG & ASTWG:Responding to a National Need Baseline Reports Advanced Range Technology Working Group (ARTWG): • Response to Presidential Directed OSTP & NSC Report, “The Future Management And Use Of The U.S. Space Launch Bases And Ranges,” February 2000 • Focus on next-generation range technologies • MOA between NASA/Code M, and AF Space Command to jointly develop strategy • Co-Chairs from NASA/KSC & AF Space Command Advanced Spaceport Technology Working Group (ASTWG): • Focus on next-generation ground processing technologies • Chaired by NASA KSC, Vice Chair Executive Director Aerospace States Association Nationally Adopted Strategic Roadmaps • National forums for all United States parties who have an interest in range and spaceport technology development • More than 500+ subject matter experts from across the nation • Over 90 government, industry and academic organizations involved • Nationally adopted roadmaps developed which identify key technologies to enable space exploration Objective: Create a national strategy for spaceport and range technology development

5. Planning / Documentation / Analysis / Learning Advanced Servicing Transportation, Handling & Assembly Inspection & System Verification Command, Control & Monitoring ASTWG Draft Roadmap Product ReviewSubgroups Roadmaps have been developed for each subgroup area

6. Spaceport System Capability Roadmap Mid-Term: • Multiple vehicles from common spaceport infrastructure • Common standards between vehicle and spaceport • Containerized payloads • Robotic support for lifting operations • Spaceport interfaces recognize flight system connected • Automated servicing operations • Automated safing / reconfiguration of vehicle and payload after flight • Automated and integrated paperless logistics system • Automatic interactive scheduling of flight vehicle, ground support facilities and support logistics • Integrated communication system linking several spaceport • Semi-autonomous surveillance Near-Term: • High flight rate of a single architecture • Standardized servicing ports and interfaces • Standard payload carrier • Common/universal lifting GSE • Control software development based on abstract interfaces • Control software for automatic propellant loading • Enhanced remote sensing for vehicle safety after landing • Paperless integrated logistics systems • Centralized data repository – integrated databases • Enhanced information/communication architecture • Integrated emergency services Long-Term: • Airport-like Operations – Plug & Play • Minimal servicing with self diagnosis and autonomous repair • Piggy Back payloads – self sufficient; non invasive to vehicle • Plug & Queue – minimal facility/vehicle interfaces • Gas & Go – on-demand propellant loading operations • Autonomous safing / reconfiguration after landing • Automated paperless supply chain management integrated with equipment integrated health management • Integrated business systems and processes into one data management system • Autonomous, adaptive self-training scheduling system for flight vehicle, ground facilities and support infrastructure • Global connectivity to spaceports • Autonomous surveillance

7. ASTWG Example RoadmapsTechnology Subgroup: Integrated Operations Advanced Servicing Capability Roadmaps Challenges & Technical Approaches Key Technology Development Needs

8. Strategic Technology Direction DoD $TBD FAA $TBD NASA $TBD Future Interagency Range & Spaceport Technologies Program:Technology Infusion Program Interagency Program Consortium Industry, Academia, Government National Coalition One of several inputs each agency will consider • Tri-Agency Consortium (NASA, FAA, DoD) has been focusing for the last 1.5 years on developing spaceport and range technologies • Joint planning & each partner manages their portion of dollars • Currently in 2nd year of 3-year formulation effort • (FY ’03-’05) • Strategic technology roadmap development • Interagency Concept of Operations development • Technical Gap Assessment • Business Case/Value Proposition assessment • Program Planning and Documentation Development • Working towards an FY06 new start Joint Funding Decisions Focused national spaceport & range technology projects $ Stakeholder community technology & project development (Industry, Academia, Government) • “We are excited to support NASA leadership of FIRST efforts by targeting and investing in range & spaceport technologies. It is the right time for partnership!” • (Brigadier General, John T. Sheridan: 15 January 2004 letter to NASA Director, KSC)

9. Summary • Studied the problems • Identified the shared needs requirements, investigated the technologies, built the roadmaps • Engaged and leveraged other centers • KSC serving as lead center as the critical insight to the impact of vehicle architectures on ground and launch operations – also holds the critical partner relationships • All Center development technologies are leveraged –coordination across centers and partners assures investments are made in the areas of best return and those which support common needs / multiple mission sets • Built a formal inter-agency partnership: DOD, NASA, FAA • “We are excited to support NASA leadership of FIRST efforts by targeting and investing in range & spaceport technologies” (Brigadier General, John T. Sheridan) • Established nationwide forums with government, industry, and academia • Over 500 registered members in working groups for advanced range and spaceport technologies; three national conferences held; 10 technology-focused teams formed

10. Upcoming ARTWG/ASTWG Events • ARTWG/ASTWG Conference ( • In conjunction with the AF Space Command, S&T workshop) • Jan. 11 -13 2005 • Colorado Springs, Co. • ASTWG Workshop (to develop conceptual spaceport architectures) • Nov. 16-17 2005 • Kennedy Space Center, Fl Thank You for your continued Support!

11. http://astwg.ksc.nasa.gov http://artwg.ksc.nasa.gov Reducing the cost of sustained operations through technology infusion Contacts: Mr. Darin Skelly, ARTWG Co-Chair NASA/KSC Ph # (321) 861-3639 Email: darin.m.skelly@nasa.gov Mr. Keith Britton, ASTWG Chair NASA/KSC Ph # (321) 867-1955 Email: keith.j.britton@nasa.gov Maj Jennifer Draper, ARTWG Co-Chair AFSPC/XPXZ Ph# (719) 554-3563 jennifer.draper@peterson.af.mil Planning America’s Next-generation Ground & Launch Operations Technologies