Utilization of Intelligent Systems Technologies for Manned Mission Operations Support

Abstract

With the International Space Station being extended to 2020, there is additional emphasis in the manned spaceflight program to find more efficient and effective ways of providing the ground-based mission support. This search for improvement h as led to a cross-fertilization between the advanced software development community and the manned spaceflight operations community. Many mission operations systems and tools have been developed over the past decades as NASA has operated the Mars robotic missions, the Space Shuttle, and the International Space Station. NASA Ames Research Center has been developing and applying its advanced intelligent systems research to mission operations tools for both unmanned Mars missions operations since 2001 and to manned operations with NASA Johnson Space Center since 2006. In particular, the fundamental advanced software development work, and the experience and capabilities developed for mission operations systems for the Mars Exploration Rovers, and Phoenix Lander have enhanced the development and application of advanced mission operation systems for the International Space Station and future spacecraft. This paper discusses the on-going application of a variety of intelligent systems technologies adopted for manned mission operations. We discuss several specific projects between the Ames Research Center and the Johnson Space Center’s Mission Operations Directorate, and how these technologies and projects are enhancing the mission operations support for the Internati onal Space Station and preparing for the mission operation support of the future human exploration programs. I. Introduction NASA is posturing itself for the next major step in the exploration of space, and will require the development of many new capabilities including the design of new spacecraft, new launch services, and new processes and tools associated with the mission operations support. The mission operations support includes the planning of the NASA missions, the training of the crew and flight control team, and the mission execution. While the specific targets for NASA mission operations beyond the ISS Program are currently being assessed, it is clear that NASA will need to infuse new technologies into the new space exploration initiatives. The range and complexity of these exploration missions will require an unprecedented use of automation and robotics in support of human crews. This will require the operations of manned spacecraft in close conjunction with planetary robotic systems. NASA‘s current space flight missions are largely segmented into unmanned missions funded by the NASA‘s Science Mission Directorate, and the human spaceflight missions operated by the Spaceflight Operations Mission