Mission Operations Support for the Constellation Program

Abstract

The Constellation Program (CxP) is the next major step in the exploration of space , and will require the development of many new capabilities including the design of new spacecraft and lunar surface infrastructure, new launch services, and new processes and tools associated with the mission operations support . The mission operations support includes the pla nning of the CxP missions, the training of the crew and flight control team, and the mission execution. The CxP Mission Operations Project (MOP) Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston Texas is preparing to initially support the CxP mission operations objectives for the C rew Exploration Vehicle (C EV )/Orion flights to the International Space Station, then the CEV and Lunar Lander flights leading to Lunar surface operations and eventually Lunar habitation . We are assessing more efficient way s to organiz e the support and are evaluating new technologies which will enhance our operations support. We are also assessing how some of these support capabilities can migrate in the future from ground -based operations to on -board spacecraft and Lunar operations. This paper will address our preparation for these CxP mission operations objectives , the technologies we are assessing to streamline our mission operations infrastructure , and how selected operations capabilities can migrate in the future to the space envi ronment.