NPS Space Systems Research

1. NPS Space Systems Research

2. NPSAT1 Small Satellite Project • Operational Payoff/Transition Targets: • Space weather now-casting / Ionospheric modeling • Technology transition of lithium-ion batteries; triple-junction solar cells; Linux-based processor board; micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensors; configurable, fault-tolerant computing targeting operational/micro/nano satellites • Deliverables: • Space savvy officers – Space Cadre • Space flight data on spacecrafttechnology for transition to operational systems • Space weather data for improved forecasting / nowcasting with implications for navigation, targeting, communications • Concurrent ground and spaced based measurements of ionospheric phenomenology • NPS Spacecraft Architecture and Technology Demonstration Satellite • Space Systems Academic Group • Space Cadre Graduate Education • Small Vehicles Technology • Space Power • Space Weather • Technical Objective • NPSAT1 is a low-cost technology demonstration satellite • Space Weather • Spacecraft Technology • Graduate Education • Technology Challenges • Built and flown by officer students, faculty and staff. Full life cycle development of a space system. • Technical Approaches: • Officer Student Theses and Directed Study Projects • Ionospheric scintillation measurements and in-situ Langmuir Probe measurements • On-orbit solar cell performance measurements • Ground operations facility at NPS. • Cost and Schedule: • Spacecraft development & test cost (thru launch): $1.4M • Spacecraft build complete: June 2011 • System-level test complete: Nov. 2011 • NPSAT1 earliest launch: Jan. 2012 Student Involvements More than 20 MS theses completed. Contact Info: PI: Rudolf Panholzer rpanholzer@nps.edu (831) 656-2154; Tech. Lead: Dan Sakoda dsakoda@nps.edu; (831) 656-3198 UNCLASSIFIED

3. NPS – Solar Cell Array Tester (NPS-SCAT) Description of Research: As NPS’s first CubeSat, SCAT is intended to prove CubeSat viability as a technology test bed and research platform using an inexpensive system to measure solar cells on orbit while focusing on the education of NPS students and the development of an NPS CubeSat program. Objectives: Provide an inexpensive space platform based on COTS technology to perform focused research objectives of national interest. Start with a simple on-orbit solar cell tester while focusing on the education of NPS students with the development of an NPS CubeSat program. Background: Solar panels on existing satellites have experienced failure due to interactions with the space environment. Intended Applications and Intended Customers CubeSat form factor reduces the complexity of the structure, power, and communication portions of the satellite, it allows for an effective, responsive, and relatively inexpensive way to test solar cells on orbit. Goal is to use CubeSats for focused research of national interest. . SMS Circuit JUL 09 SMS Circuit AUG 08 SMS Circuit MAR 09 Technology Challenges COTS component integration (ensuring manufacturer specifications match actual performance and meet requirements) Launch vehicle integration. The solar cell measurement system (SMS) will calculate I-V curves (electric current of the solar cell as a function of the voltage). By comparing the data with pre-flight values, the performance of the cells in the space environment will be able to be determined. Measurements will continue throughout the lifetime of the experiment, providing the rate of degradation of the test cells. Funding and Collaborations Phase I and II funding provided by NRO AS&T. Phase III proposal submitted to AS&T Outreach Program. On-going collaborations with faculty at NPS and CalPoly. PI: James H. Newman, jhnewman@nps.edu, 831-656-2487 Professor, Space Systems Academic Group

4. Nanosatellites Advanced Concepts Laboratory (PI: Prof. Marcello Romano) Objectives: 1) To contribute to the education of the NPS student-officers of the Space Engineering and Space Ops curricula. 2) To design, integrate, and test on-orbit one agile nanosatellite able to take panchromatic images, at 3-to-4m GSD from 500 Km, and transmit them back to the field. Background: Recent developments in nanosatellites technology will soon enable significant missions which used to be exclusive realm of much larger and expensive systems. Project TINYSCOPE (Agile Nanosatellite for Earth Imaging) Intended Applications and Intended Customers Contribute to provide DOD and Government with new critical capabilities for Earth imaging, complementing the ones available. 30 cm = ~1 ft A constellation of TINYSCOPE spacecraft can provide imaging of any place on Earth: -either with short revisit time; -(or even) up to persistent monitoring. • Technology Challenges • Achieve, for the first time on a nanosatellite, high three-axis pointing accuracy, high slewing agility, and high data rates. • Keep low the cost per unit, in order to make possible the acquisition of a constellation of tenths of spacecraft. Funding and Collaborations Three MS theses completed. Six more ongoing. Funding provided by NRO in FY08 and FY09. Additional funding sought. Collaboration with Prof. Jim Newman (TINYSCOPE Co-PI). Listed on DOD STP-SERB for launch and operation of 1st unit in 2012. 13:14 Zulu 13:27 Zulu Contact information: Prof. Marcello Romano, mromano@nps.edu Prof. Jim Newman, jhnewman@nps.edu

5. NPS CubeSat Launcher (NPSCuL) Description of Research: NPSCuL-Lite evolved as a means to leverage affordable capabilities of CubeSats and excess payload capacity on U.S. EELVs to provide high capacity routine access to space for university, government and industry CubeSats from the U.S. while focusing on the education of NPS students. Objectives: High capacity launch of CubeSats utilizing single ESPA-class payload. Hands-on education of NPS officer students; foster innovation and interest in STEM in university students in support of future aerospace workforce development. Background: U.S. launch opportunities for CubeSats are scarce. Out of 44 CubeSats launched worldwide, only 5 successfully launched from the US. Intended Applications and Intended Customers NPSCuL-Lite provides CubeSat developers high capacity routine access to space from the U.S. Goal is to enable launch of CubeSats used for education and focused research of national interest. Technology Challenges Low frequency modes and ensuring fastener integrity during vibration testing ADAMSat and launch vehicle integration in support of launch on Aft Bulkhead Carrier (ABC) on NRO L-41NET August 2010 Funding and Collaborations Funding provided by NRO AS&T (directly and from the NSF) and California Space Education Workforce Institute (CSEWI) . On-going collaborations with CalPoly, Aerospace Corp, Ecliptic Enterprises, and ULA. • 2009 DoN SERB Ranking- #8 out of 24 PI: James H. Newman, jhnewman@nps.edu, 831-656-2487 Professor, Space Systems Academic Group

6. Size comparison (we jump every 3 years) Last GenerationNext Generation Every generation of each new IC technology reduces it’s operational lifetime by 50% Number of critical atoms for 250nm technology 50E6 atoms (1997) (10 year life) 100nm * 5nm * 1000nm = 5E5nm3 4E6 atoms (2001) (5 year life) 65 nm feature – 500,000 atoms ( today) (3 year life) 23nm feature – 80000 atoms (2013) (1 year life), 11nm feature – 10000 atoms (2016) (0.5 year life)

7. Electronic Component Failure Prediction Tool Development (NPS (Weatherford) & AFIT(Coutu) joint proposal) Reverse Use of Semiconductor Industry Virtual Fabrication Tools to “Unprocess” ICs to predict degradation and failure. Objectives: To develop initial techniques that converts transistor’s electrical/ thermal/ radiation energy to material movement to show electrical RF or power degradation. Background: Many space systems fail due to electronic component failure. Prediction is done by limited life testing only. Present industry tools predict performance of “brand new” devices, not aged devices. No code exists to show gradual electrical degradation of transistors. Intended Applications and Intended Customers 1) Accurate Life Prediction of components showing initial degradation on orbit (operators), 2) End-of-Life prediction tool for specific modulation/power levels (contractors), 3) Assistance to technology developers examining new IC technologies such as Carbon nanotubes, GaN RF, 22nm CMOS (S&T technologists) Large temperature gradients inside a GaN RF transistor to determine mass migration, then recalculate “aged” transistor for reduced performance. Observation of reduced comm link, or system anomaly, engineers examine possible component suspects with this tool. • Technology Challenges • Implementation with two present competing Industry tools (NPS/Silvaco, AFIT/Synopsis) within their framework. • Techniques to revert between electrical/thermal modeling and process modeling tools at specified time intervals. • Transition new findings on electronic failure mechanisms. Modify component operation such as energy, frequency, duty cycle to buy extended operational time. Funding and Collaborations Related funding provided by AFRL PACE program, ONR ESO, NAVSEA. 4 pubs, 8+ thesis on reliability of RF/power device topic. On-going collaborations with AFOSR/ONR Electronic Reliability MURIs (MIT, U-FL,UCSB, NCSU, OSU). Part of Tri-Service team (ARL/NRL/AFRL) to transition MURI findings. Code support by Silvaco, Synopsis and Univ. FL). Each new generation IC lifetime shrinks by a factor of 2 , failures occur sooner with next gen Less atoms per device = shorter functional lifetime. Contact information: Prof. T.R.Weatherford, trweathe@nps.edu

8. Multi-Source Fusion of Ship-Tracking Information • We believe successful MDA requires fusion of many disparate data sources: • NTM data • OSINT from • Shipping companies • Port authorities • Vessel-tracking systems (USCG) • HUMINT • IMINT • OTHER Exploitable Sources • We have built an evaluation environment for testing and • developing fusion of algorithms and systems. • Description/accomplishments; • Continuing development of Fusion support environment • Including availability of MASTER Tracks • Supported work on multi-level security • Participated in TEXAS workshops • Organized MDA session at Classified Advanced Technology Update (CATU) Key Participants: • NPS • Prof. Hersch Loomis • Prof. Alan Ross • Prof. Tom Betterton • Prof. Bret Michael • Objectives; • Continue development of multi-level fusion environment • Evaluate contributions of additional data sources to MASTER Tracks • Radar, Acoustics • Develop Track Model to protect sources and methods • Support work on multi-level security

9. LIDAR applications to FOPEN Objectives: To study the utility for LIDAR systems in foliage penetration, particularly as regards detection of trails. Background: LIDAR offers great promise as an airborne system, with successful testing in a variety of environments. Thesis work at NPS has shown good results in interactive analysis. Trails Detected Under Canopy Intended Applications and Intended Customers: Applications are in various SOCOM theaters, and utility is present for PACOM and SOUTHCOM. Technology Challenges: Automatedtrail detection in near-real-time is needed. Modeling is needed to provide predictive capability. Funding and Collaborations: Funding not currently available. Contact information: Prof. Richard C Olsen, olsen@nps.edu References: Espinoza, F. & Owens, R. (2007) Identifying roads and trails hidden under canopy using LIDAR, Master’s Thesis, Naval Postgraduate School Kim, A. (To be published 2009) Simulating full-waveform LIDAR, Master’s Thesis, Naval Postgraduate School

10. 3m Segmented Mirror Telescope (Scheduled operation at NPS in Nov 2009) Adaptive Optics Without Adaptive Optics With Adaptive Optics Adaptive Optics Testbed Advanced Vibration and Surface Control Wavefront Sensing and Segment Alignment Closed loop frequency and time response of a segmented mirror telescope using Robust Control method with model reduction 16in 6 element segmented mirror testbed Large Aperture Lightweight Space-Based Optics NPS space telescope testbeds are used to develop key technologies for large aperture lightweight space-based optics such as wavefront sensing and correction, segment alignment, vibration isolation, jitter control, and multi-input multi-output adaptive optics control. Objectives: The objective of this research is to develop key technologies for large space mirrors to improve the capability of future imaging spacecraft to provide high resolution, persistent surveillance. Background: For an imaging spacecraft to provide truly persistent surveillance capability, the satellite should be in a higher orbit, requiring large aperture lightweight deployable mirrors, in the range of 10-20 meters in diameter. Achieving high surface accuracy of a large segmented mirror for high resolution imaging is very challenging. Key technologies for large aperture lightweight space mirrors need to be identified and developed. • Description of Research • Technology Challenges • Extremely fine surface control of flexible mirrors • Vibration isolation and jitter control • Deployable mirror segment alignment • Wavefront sensing and correction • Prevention of surface control performance degradation due to control-structure interaction • Thermal distortion correction Focus of the research is on surface control of a large segmented flexible mirrors including the following technology development Funding and Collaborations Funding provided by NRO. NPS participated in the Segmented Mirror Demonstrator (SMD), Segmented Mirror Testbed (SMT), and Advanced Mirror Development (AMD) projects in collaboration with NRO, Lockheed Martin, ITT, and NRL. Contact information: Prof. Brij Agrawal, agrawal@nps.edu

11. Spacecraft Robotics Laboratory (PI: Prof. Marcello Romano) Objectives: 1) To contribute to the education of the NPS student-officers of the Space Engineering, Space Ops and Mech. Eng. curricula. 2) To invent new solutions and improve existing ones regarding both hardware and software technologies for spacecraft proximity maneuvering and operations. Background: In 2007, the Orbital Express mission demonstrated for the first time the autonomous docking and servicing between two US spacecraft. The capability of conducting increasingly sophisticated autonomous proximity operations will be a critical assets for achieving/maintaining superiority in the space theater. Guidance, navigation and control of autonomous spacecraft for proximity operations: analysis, numerical simulations and experimentation on a flat floor test-bed. Intended Applications and Intended Customers Provide DOD and Government with new/improved capabilities for space proximity operations. • Autonomous spacecraft proximity maneuvering and operations are enabling technologies for several important missions, as: • -Monitoring of Resident Space Objects; • Docking and servicing; • Multiple spacecraft assembly. • Technology Challenges • Achieve robust autonomous relative Guidance, Navigation and Control of an aggregate of possibly different spacecraft with realistic limitations in sensors, actuators, and on-board computers. • Enable proximity operations to be conducted by nanosatellites. Funding and Collaborations Nine Ms theses and two PhD Theses completed. Three more ongoing. Funding provided by AFRL in FY09. Additional funding sought. Filed a patent on a novel docking interface for small spacecraft Contact information: Prof. Marcello Romano, mromano@nps.edu Credit: DARPA