Ground System Development Research Articles

Challenges to the Operational Safety and Security of eVTOL Aircraft in Metropolitan Regions: A Literature Review

The start of urban air mobility operations using helicopters began in 1940s in Los Angeles to transport passengers and mail between various locations. However, the concept of urban air mobility (UAM) only emerged in the 1960s. Its implementation used helicopters to avoid congestion by land, typical of populated metropolitan regions. However, there was a severe limitation in using these aircraft because of accidents, huge operating costs, and high noise generation levels. In 2010, a new UAM concept conceived electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. These vehicles, in principle, would be safer, with lower operating costs and less noisy than helicopters. Several aircraft manufacturers have developed dozens of eVTOL models, focusing on the feasibility of using them for UAM in some metropolitan regions. However, we must consider several challenges to materialize this new concept, including those related to operational safety and security. Among these challenges is these vehicle operations integration to the airspace structure and the air traffic control system, the new embedded and ground systems development, the ground infrastructure implementation to support the operations, the reliability of air navigation systems, the meteorological information provision in real-time and with complete coverage of metropolitan airspaces to be used by eVTOL, and others. Despite some similarities, this new UAM concept will not be identical for all urban regions due to differences related to topographies, weather, urban construction patterns and air traffic control systems. Therefore, local studies are essential to support gradual and safe implementations of operations with these vehicles. This paper presents a literature review, identifying and discussing the utmost safety and security-related challenges researchers observe.

A Framework for Evaluating the Standards for the Production of Airborne and Ground Traffic Management Software

The development of Airborne and Ground systems is framed by specific regulations, usually expressed as standards. A disadvantage of those standards is the inherent complexity for its application and the verification of compliance given the high number of requirements to be checked in many different situations of the application and which are highly dependent on the applicable level of criticality. When the development of this type of system requires the incorporation of new personnel without enough knowledge about the standards, risks of mistakes in their application grow exponentially. The objective of this work is to develop an Expert System (ES) that helps to evaluate the application of the standards DO-178C and DO-278A throughout the project life cycle, at the same time it serves to facilitate both its use and the learning of its application to a wide group of professionals. The proposed underlying method for the ES will allow evaluating the set of development processes to check coverage of the standards DO-178C and DO-278A without depending on a specific life cycle model. The method involves a model of the set of processes, so they can be evaluated by the ES. Additionally, the ES will require a minimum configuration to evaluate the development of systems based on these two standards. The main result is a new generic Expert System based on rules capable of being adapted to different environment of evaluation, whichh minor configuration operations thus allowing that a Generic ES can act as a Specific ES for each situation. This configurable ES has been customized to evaluate the software life cycle based on the standards under study.

イプシロンロケットの地上系の開発 : 自動・自律点検等による運用の革新( イプシロンロケットの開発 第5回)

イプシロンロケットの地上系の開発 : 自動・自律点検等による運用の革新( イプシロンロケットの開発 第5回)

Safety Characteristics in System Application Software for Human Rated Exploration Missions

ABSTRACT NASA and its industry and international partners are embarking on a bold and inspiring development effort to design and build an exploration class space system. The space system is made up of the Orion system, the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) system. All are highly coupled together and dependent on each other for the combined safety of the space system. A key area of system safety focus needs to be in the ground and flight application software system (GFAS). In the development, certification and operations of GFAS, there are a series of safety characteristics that define the approach to ensure mission success. This paper will explore and examine a real world approach needed to implement safety characteristics of the GFAS development. The GFAS system integrates the flight software packages of the Orion and SLS with the ground systems and launch countdown sequencers through the ‘agile’ software development process. A unique approach is needed to develop the GFAS project capabilities within this agile process. NASA has defined the software development process through a set of standards. The standards were written during the infancy of the so-called industry ‘agile development’ movement and now must be tailored to adapt to the highly integrated environment of human exploration systems. Safety of the space systems and the eventual crew on board is paramount during the preparation of the exploration flight systems. A series of software safety characteristics have been incorporated into the development and certification efforts to ensure readiness for use and compatibility with the space systems. Three underlining factors in the exploration architecture require the GFAS system to be unique in its approach to ensure safety for the space systems, both the flight as well as the ground systems. The first are the missions themselves, which are exploration in nature, and go far beyond the comfort of low Earth orbit operations. The second is the current exploration system will launch only one mission per year even less during its developmental phases. Finally, the third is the partnered approach through the use of many different prime contractors, including commercial and international partners, to design and build the exploration systems. These three factors make the challenges to meet the mission preparations and the safety expectations extremely difficult to implement. As NASA leads a team of partners in the exploration beyond earth’s influence, it is a safety imperative that the application software used to test, checkout, prepare and launch the exploration systems put safety of the hardware and mission first. Sets of software safety characteristics, to integrate into the more classic ‘agile’ process, are built into the design and development process to enable the human rated systems to begin their missions safely and successfully. Exploration missions beyond Earth are inherently risky, however, with solid safety approaches in both hardware and software, the boldness of these missions can be realized for all on the home planet.

우리나라 지상시스템의 발전 전망 및 방향

우리나라 지상시스템은 위성 관제와 탑재체자료 처리를 위해서 1990년대부터 개발되기 시작하였다. 과학위성, 저궤도위성 및 정지궤도 지상시스템의 초기 개발 시에는 국제기술협력 등이 필요하였으나, 초기 기술 확보 이후에는 국내 독자 기술로 개발되기 시작하였다. 우리나라는 지금까지 총 14기의 지상시스템을 개발하였으며, 본 논문은 이러한 경험을 바탕으로 발전 전망 및 방향을 제시한다. 관제시스템은 재구성, 재사용, 자동화 기술을 기반으로 하는 다중위성 관제시스템 개발이 필요하다. 처리시스템은 다양한 탑재체자료 처리 기술의 확보와 처리정확도 향상을 위한 검보정 기술의 접목이 필요하다. 또한, 탑재체 자료 양의 증가로 인한 고속처리 기술 확보와 처리된 탑재체자료를 사용자 간에 사용하고 통합하는 상호운영성 연구가 필요하다. 끝으로, 다양한 종류의 많은 위성을 운영할 수 있도록 국내외에 분포된 안테나 등 국가 지상시스템 인프라 망 구축이 필요하다. Korean ground systems have started to be developed for mission control and payload data processing since 1990s. International technology cooperations were needed in the early development phase of ground system for science experiment satellite, LEO satellite and GEO satellite and then they have been developed as domestic own technology since acquiring early technology. Our country has developed total 14 ground systems until now, this paper suggests prospect and direction on ground system development in the base of such development experiences. Mission control system is needed to develop multi-satellite mission control system in the base of technology of re-configure, re-use and automation. Processing system is needed to acquire processing technology for kinds of payload sensor data and study inter-operation to integrate and use outputs which are processed between users. Finally, national ground system infrastructure is needed to operate kinds of lots of satellites at worldwide area.

2.6.2 Systems Engineering Sizing in the Age of Acquisition Reform

AbstractAs organizations develop more complex systems, increased emphasis is being placed on Systems Engineering (SE) to ensure that cost and schedule are within budget. Correspondingly, the failure to adequately plan and fund the systems engineering effort appears to have contributed to a number of cost overruns and schedule slips, especially in the development of complex ground and space systems. Government and commercial organizations have recently placed increased emphasis on accurately planning the SE function and on understanding the factors that influence the resources needed to implement and perform SE.In an attempt to better quantify the SE activity, the DoD acquisition community has been exploring Systems Engineering Revitalization and migrating back to a reinstatement of prescribed military standards. Several models and tools have become available to aid in forecasting systems engineering resource needs, but few guidelines exist to help engineers and program managers determine which approach is best suited for estimating any particular effort.To provide such guidelines, this paper provides an overview of eight existing cost models ‐ three of which focus on software and five on hardware. These models include SE components and employ unique approaches to sizing the SE effort. An overview of the genesis and assumptions of each model shed some light on their individual applicability. To complete the paper, future research topics are discussed along with recommendations on tasks to enhance the accuracy of SE sizing.

Overview of NASDA's earth observation remote sensing

NASDA has three strategic goals for the earth observation systems: contribution to the earth science, promotion of practical use of the earth observation data and advanced technology development of satellites, sensors and ground systems. To implement the strategy, a long-term scenario of NASDA's earth observation satellite was proposed. In this scenario two major remote sensing satellite programs, Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) and Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) were planned and are in phase C/D to be launched in Nov. 2001, and Aug. 2002, respectively. For the long-term global change observation, a new concept “Global Change Observation Mission (GCOM)” of 15-year mission starting from the launch of ADEOS-II is under phase A study. For the high-resolution regional observation, ALOS is in phase C/D. Complementing these satellites, concept study of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) follow-on and earth radiation missions is underway.

1.1.2 Ground Data System Risk Mitigation Techniques for Faster, Better, Cheaper Missions1

AbstractWith the advent of faster, better, and cheaper missions, NASA Projects acknowledged that a higher level of risk was inherent and acceptable with this approach. It was incumbent however upon each component of the Project, whether spacecraft, payload, launch vehicle or ground data system, to ensure that the mission would nevertheless be an unqualified success.The Small Explorer (SMEX) program's ground data system (GDS) team developed risk mitigation techniques to achieve these goals starting in 1989. These approaches have developed through the SMEX series of missions and are practiced today under the Triana program. These techniques are: Mission Team Organization – Empowerment of a close‐knit ground data system team comprising system engineering, software engineering, testing, and flight operations personnel, Common Spacecraft Test & Operational Control System – Utilization of the pre‐launch spacecraft integration system as the post‐launch ground data system on‐orbit command and control system, Utilization of operations personnel in pre‐launch testing – Making the flight operations team an integrated member of the spacecraft testing activities at the beginning of the spacecraft fabrication phase, Consolidated Test Team – Combining system, mission readiness and operations testing to optimize test opportunities with the ground system and spacecraft, and Reuse of Spacecraft, Systems, Standards, and People – Obtaining greater efficiencies through reuse of common spacecraft components, flight and ground‐based subsystems, standardized interfaces, and project team personnel. The SMEX ground system development approach for faster, better, and cheaper missions has been very successful. This paper will discuss these risk management techniques in the areas of ground data system design, implementation, test and operational readiness.

Tradeoffs between science objectives and ground system capability

The most fundamental objective of all planetary missions is to return data. To accomplish this, a spacecraft is fabricated and built, software is planned and coded, and a ground system is designed and implemented. However, a systems engineering approach to determine how the collection of data drives ground system capabilities has received little attention. A technique by which science objectives can be quantitatively evaluated is denned. For illustrative purposes, it is applied to the Cassini mission. This mission, to be launched in 1997, is an international endeavor designed to orbit Saturn for four years. The results of this system's engineering approach will show which science objectives drive specific ground system capabilities. In addition, this technique can assist system engineers in the selection of the science payload during preproject mission planning, ground system designers during ground system development and implementation, and operations personnel during the mission.

IMACCS: A DEMONSTRATION IN REENGINEERING GROUND DATA SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

AbstractThis paper describes a successfully functioning, commercial, off‐the‐shelf (COTS)‐based ground support system called the Integrated Monitoring, Analysis, and Control COTS System (IMACCS). IMACCS was implemented as a prototype by Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Mission Operations and Data Systems Directorate (MO&DSD) to operate NASA's Solar Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX). IMACCS was conceived specifically to build on previous experience in testbed evaluation of COTS products. The purpose of the IMACCS project was to integrate a typical set of such tools, connect them to live tracking and telemetry data from a real, on‐orbit satellite, and perform shadow mission operations. The objective of the IMACCS project was to assess the completeness, robustness, and performance of a COTS‐based ground system. As a constraint, IMACCS was to be implemented within 90 days of project approval. This paper discusses the challenges that led to the IMACCS project; the processes used for implementing IMACCS; how these processes fit within MO&DSD's reengineered ground systems development processes; and the results obtained by comparing IMACCS' requirements, operations, costs, and implementation process against the currently operating ground system.

4.4.1 A Systems Engineering Approach to the Analysis of a Planetry Mission Ground System in Terms of Acience Objectives

AbstractThe most fundamental objective of all planetary missions is to return data. To accomplish this, a spacecraft is fabricated and built, software is planned and coded, and a ground system is designed and implemented. However, a systems engineering approach to determine how the collection of data drives ground system capabilities has received little attention.This paper defines a technique by which science objectives can be quantitatively evaluated. For illustrative purposes, it will be applied to NASA's Cassini Mission. This mission, to be launched in 1997, is an international endeavor designed to orbit Saturn for four years.The results of this system's engineering approach will show which science objectives drive specific ground system capabilities. In addition, this technique can assist system engineers in the selection of the science payload during pre‐project mission planning; ground system designers during ground system development and implementation; and operations personnel during the mission.