Mission Analysis Research Articles

Human-Autonomy Teaming in a Cooperative Gamified Testbed: How Can AI Teammates Support Teamwork Processes?

When Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents are incorporated into teams, they are expected to possess teaming capabilities beyond their advanced technological skills. Human-Autonomy Teams (HATs) are AI agents and humans working interdependently toward shared goals. Teams engage in processes, including goal specification, planning, mission analysis, coordination, monitoring, and backup behaviors. Participation of AI agents in teamwork processes can elevate HAT effectiveness and enhance the involvement of the agents as teammates. This study explored three levels of support for teamwork processes from AI agents: passive, reactive, and proactive. The study was conducted in HiveMind, a cooperative gamified testbed. The proactive agent scored higher on several assessment metrics, including effective communication, interdependence, and teaming. Furthermore, participants reported positive perceptions of the agent’s proactive support and initiative taking. The study’s findings suggest that AI teammates’ level of participation in teamwork processes influences human teammate’s perceptions and teaming experiences with their AI teammate.

Analysis of missions and strategic goals of Russian mining and metallurgical companies

Analysis of missions and strategic goals of Russian mining and metallurgical companies

Mission Reliability Modeling and Analysis Methods for Reconfigurable Ship Electronic Information Systems

With the increasing intensity of ship missions, the mission reliability requirements of various ship systems are getting higher. Especially the new reconfigurable ship electronic information systems, which have the characteristics of resource sharing and reuse, function reconfiguration on demand, software and hardware loose coupling, and business integration, etc., is difficult to be taken into account by traditional reliability design and analysis methods. Therefore, it is imperative to design a reliability modeling and analysis method with careful consideration and strong applicability. Taking the new reconfigurable ship electronic information system as the research subject, this paper firstly adopts the architecture analysis and design language (AADL) to establish a reliability model from three perspectives, namely, system structure, system behavior, and failure impact; then, a model of mission reliability allocation under multiple constraints is developed and solved using the hybrid algorithm of Slime Mode Optimization Differential Evolution (SMA-DE) based on the optimal allocation model of reliability; next, a method for analyzing the mission reliability of ship electronic information systems based on the Goal Oriented (GO) method is proposed, and based on the state probability algorithm therein, a correction algorithm oriented to the co-causal failure modes is derived to realize the quantitative calculation of the mission reliability of ship electronic information systems; finally, an application validation was performed in conjunction with a typical ship electronic information system task. The results show that the method proposed in this study can successfully achieve the mission reliability allocation as well as quantitative analysis of reconfigurable ship electronic information systems under multi-mission requirements.

Tracing the Footsteps of Peace: Examining the Locations of UN Peacekeeping Patrols1

Recent studies have shown that United Nations (UN) peacekeepers are deployed to active conflict zones and are effective in reducing violence against civilians and between armed actors. Yet, while existing research has explored where peacekeepers are initially deployed, we know less about where peacekeepers patrol after deployment in which existing evidence remains largely anecdotal. We contend that UN peacekeeping patrols are generally conducted in areas where they are most needed in areas of armed violence and where civilians are targeted as UN peacekeepers are mandated to anticipate and respond to violence. We assess this argument using unique, geocoded mission report data compiled by the Joint Mission Analysis Center (JMAC) on UNAMID patrols across Darfur between January 2008 and April 2009. We find that, while UN patrols often stayed closer to the base, many patrols did venture far from base into the “sea of instability,” in locations with armed clashes and civilian violence.

Analysis of fly-around mission with spinning tether system for space station observation

This paper presents the mission scenarios of using spinning tether system to conduct space stations fly-around mission and validates its feasibility. The main challenge of fly-around mission lies in the difficulty of balancing low fuel consumption and long-term fly-around observation. To deal with this problem, a novel spinning tether system is proposed. Firstly, the fly-around process with spinning tether system is introduced, and the tether system is modeled based on Newton-Euler method with a novel description of spinning motion. Secondly, Given the unique structural limitations of space stations, two fly-around schemes and referenced fly-around trajectories are detailed. Thirdly, a backstepping controller is proposed for tracking the reference motion of fly-around satellites, and the fuel consumption among different fly-around schemes is compared and analyzed. In the end, numerical results validate that under the proposed control strategy, the spinning tether system can maintain a stable fly-around configuration in both the planar and vertical plane, the symmetrical formation configuration prevents the central space station from being affected by the motion of fly-around satellites. Moreover, energy consumption analysis indicates that tethered system can save 62.8 % of impulse compared to traditional schemes when flying in the planar plane, making it the most energy-efficient option.

A Content Analysis of Vision and Mission of Private Universities in Mogadishu in the Light of Competitive Advantages

This study aims at analyzing the vision and mission of eleven private universities run in Mogadishu based on their competitive advantages. Quantitative analysis was applied where the author used coding in QDA MINER.LITE 1.4.1 for data analysis under three categories reflected by the content of the vision and mission posted on their official website, namely; Academic & Research, Values & Culture, and Social Need & Development. Each category has a sub-category. The results of the study generally showed that the non-competitive advantages of the universities 71% while competitive advantages scored up 29%. The study also explored that the most competitive advantages of the universities concentrated on the dimensions: values & culture and social needs & development. Besides, there is a variance among the universities regarding their non-competitive advantages and competitive advantages. Finally, the study recommends enhancing the quality of the statement strategies of the vision and mission for the private universities in Mogadishu in line with national and international standards.

Creating Digital Identity for Arabic National Libraries from Content Analysis of Missions & Vision Statements Using Machine Learning Algorithms.

Creating Digital Identity for Arabic National Libraries from Content Analysis of Missions & Vision Statements Using Machine Learning Algorithms.

Service spacecraft for space debris removal

The problem of space debris removal from the near-Earth space is being studied in almost every country taking part in space exploration. This is due to the global threat of critical increase in the number of space debris objects predicted for the near future, in particular as a result of significant growth in demand for multi-satellite constellations for various purposes. To date, researchers have proposed a large number of different methods for space debris removal. The work presented is the development of one of the promising contactless methods of space debris removal by an ion beam. The results of modeling and optimization of physical processes in the ion source to be mounted on board a service spacecraft that is necessary for implementing the considered method of space debris removal are presented. Besides, the results of thermal modeling and thermal mapping of the ion source during its operation are presented also, and the calculation results of its output parameters are compared to experimental data, which verified the small divergence angles of the generated ion beam. To assess the prospects of using a system for contactless space debris transportation by an ion beam using the obtained data on the operating parameters of the ion source, the trajectory design and mission analysis were carried out, which revealed the feasibility of removing seven space debris objects out of the protected region in geostationary orbit by a single service spacecraft. Besides, the preliminary service spacecraft design is presented.

Trajectory optimization of near-Earth asteroids exploration by using reusable probes from cislunar space

Implementing the flyby to Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) with the potential impact risks to the Earth allows for obtaining detailed physical parameters, thereby supporting the high-precision orbit prediction and planetary defense strategy. Different from those conducted asteroid flyby missions, in the 12th China Trajectory Optimization Competition (CTOC-12), a NEAs flyby trajectory design problem using reusable probes that depart from a Lunar Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) station in the cislunar space was released. The objective was flyby to as many NEAs as possible using up to 20 probes within a total of 10 years. The ∑ team proposed a solution that can explore 47 NEAs using 11 probes, ranking the first in the competition. In this paper, the methods and results from the winning team are introduced, including mission analysis and preliminary design, and low-energy transfer trajectory optimization. In particular, a round-trip trajectory is divided into three phases: deep space transfer, indirect transfer between the Earth to DRO, and DRO phasing and rendezvous. With the combination of global optimization and local optimization algorithms, the required velocity increments to change the orbital planes are effectively reduced, thus increasing the number of the explored NEAs. The final solution of our team is presented and the results are compared with those of the top three teams. The competition demonstrates that the regularization of flyby missions from the cislunar space to explore NEAs with the potential impact risks to the Earth is the feasible and promising.

Towards robotic on-orbit assembly of large space telescopes: Mission architectures, concepts, and analyses

Imaging systems larger than the James Webb Space Telescope will enable unprecedented astronomy in the future. Larger aperture space-based imagers will also support next-generation Earth Observation missions for national security and disaster monitoring. However, launching and operating such large telescopes in the poses several practical challenges. A key challenge is that mirrors with apertures larger than 3 m cannot be monolithically manufactured so a segmented design is utilized to achieve primary mirror apertures. Even if larger mirrors could be made, it would be impossible to stow them in fairings of most existing and future launch vehicles. Folded-wing designs to deploy segmented primary mirrors, as done with the James Webb Space Telescope, are one approach to overcoming this volumetric challenge but inappropriate for 25 m apertures considered in this study. This paper presents the concept of operations and mission architectures/analysis for on-orbit assembly of a 25 m aperture telescope operating in the visible waveband of the electromagnetic spectrum capable of 1 m spatial resolution from geostationary orbit. Further, a technology demonstration roadmap towards maturing the robotic assembly technology stack is then presented as precursors to the 25 m imaging system.

Empowering Women through Education and Skill Development: A Descriptive Analysis of Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, Stand-Up India, and Skill India Mission

This paper explores three pivotal government initiatives in India—Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao (BBBP), Stand-Up India, and Skill India Mission—aimed at enhancing the education and skill development of women. By examining the genesis, objectives, key components, and impacts of each program, this review highlights the significant strides and ongoing challenges in promoting gender equality and empowering women. Despite progress, gender-based disparities and deeply rooted cultural norms continue to pose significant challenges. The analysis underscores the importance of sustained community engagement, policy enforcement, and resource allocation to address deeply rooted gender disparities and foster a more inclusive society. This research is particularly significant in today's context, as it sheds light on the persistent gender inequality issues in India and the need for comprehensive strategies to overcome them.

A constraint programming framework for preliminary mission analysis: Applications for constellation-servicing active debris removal

Constraint Programming is a classical artificial intelligence paradigm characterised by its flexibility for the modelling of complex problems. In the field of space operations, this approach has been successfully used for mission planning and scheduling. This manuscript proposes a framework that leverages the strengths of Constraint Programming for the preliminary analysis of space missions, introducing some modifications to tailor it to the application at hand. Specifically, it uses constraint propagation and search techniques to thoroughly explore the configuration space of a mission in an efficient manner. Consequently, it is able to quantify the performance of precomputed mission choices with respect to the mission requirements, as well as generate new ones that optimise such performance. The proposed methodology has been particularised for two application cases involving active debris removal missions for large constellations in low Earth orbit, namely, a chaser case and a mothership case. The chaser case considers a servicing satellite that rendezvouses with the failed satellites of the constellation and directly transports them to a disposal orbit. The mothership case comprises a servicing satellite that installs deorbiting kits in each of the failed satellites, except for the one removed in the last place. This way, the servicing satellite will only transport this object, while the deorbiting kits will carry out the disposal of the rest of them. This methodology has been successfully used to evaluate a preliminary mission analysis of both application cases developed under ESA’s Sunrise project.

Production of high velocity micron-sized ice particles using the NASA Ames Vertical Gun Range for application to missions to icy moons.

The Ames Vertical Gun Range (AVGR) is a hypervelocity impact facility hosting a variable angle, two-stage, light-gas gun that can accelerate projectiles up to 7 km s−1. We have used the AVGR to produce impacts into supercooled (73–89 K) synthetic seawater ice targets inside a large impact chamber, whose pressure is 0.3 to 0.7 Torr.We report on the effective novel use of stainless steel meshes (49 μm, 100 μm, 149 μm, and 500 μm) to filter the ejecta plume for the ice grains of a desired size and demonstrate that reproducible temperature, speed, and particle size distribution can be achieved.The resulting ejecta plume of micrometer-sized ice particles (micro grains) from these impacts provides a method to simulate spacecraft encounters with ice particles found in the plumes of the outer Solar System, especially Enceladus. Image analysis of ejecta plume impacts onto aluminum (Al) foil enabled us to determine the ice particle diameter range. We find that the particles in the ejecta plume have speeds from 0.2 to 2 km s−1 and temperatures from 102 to 113 K (−171 to −160 °C). Furthermore, 61–97% by numberof the ice grains have equivalent diameter between 2.5 and 20 μm, that is, in the range 1 μm ≤ radii ≤10 μm, the upper size constrained by Cassini, i.e., ∼2 μm to 50 μm. Overall, the AVGR provides a high-fidelity simulation of ice micro grains impacting spacecraft surfaces and sample-collecting systems. This may be useful in the design, testing, and data analysis of future missions to Enceladus, Europa, and other icy moons.

Enabling FuSE Security Objectives by Leveraging Cyber Survivability Methods

AbstractThe importance of system security continues to grow as systems become more complex, more connected, and more vulnerable. The INCOSE Vision 2035 sets goals for systems engineering (SE) as a discipline in enabling engineering solutions for a better world: “By 2035, cybersecurity will be as foundational a perspective in systems design as system performance and safety are today” (INCOSE, 2024). A key objective of the INCOSE Future of Systems Engineering (FuSE) Security Foundations Roadmap is to recognize system security as a fundamental part of the mission, integrated into the system architecture, and not “bolted‐on” as a separate subsystem or set of features in the detailed design. To achieve this, systems engineering must address system security early in the system lifecycle, during the mission analysis and concept development phase and ensure it is addressed as a functional requirement throughout the systems engineering lifecycle. System security needs must be treated as fundamental system capability.The INCOSE FuSE Security foundations roadmap identifies six (6) objectives and eleven (11) foundational concepts necessary to achieve the FuSE vision for system security (Dove, et al., 2021). Five of the objectives and five of the foundational concepts are directly related to systems acquisition and engineering lifecycle processes. The five key foundational concepts are: Stakeholder Alignment, Security as a Capability, Security as a Functional Requirement, Loss Driven Engineering and Modeled Trustworthiness.The Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) community has extensive cyber assessment and execution processes mandated through numerous Department of Defense (DoD) and individual service policies, directives and guidebooks. This paper studies several of the cybersecurity assessment and process guidebooks, analyzing the processes and methods to identify areas where systems engineering should be responsible, and which SE activities and outputs are needed to enable the requirements of each guidebook.This paper examines six OT&E cyber security guidebooks, and the methods and processes they describe to achieve system security in relation to the five foundation concepts. In addition to their test and evaluation processes, each describes systems engineering processes, activities and outputs that could be used to form the initial foundation of a system security technical process.While the original INCOSE vision statement uses the term “cybersecurity,” the FuSE Security initiative is adopting the term “system security” to emphasize that this is a system engineering responsibility as opposed to software engineering or information technology task. As a result, the analysis of the cybersecurity guidebooks will be in the context of “system security.”

Investigation of Hybrid Laminar Flow Control Capabilities from the Flight Envelope Perspective

The present work conducts a multifidelity aerodynamic design of a medium-range commercial aircraft wing featuring hybrid laminar flow control (HLFC) technology. The design was performed to investigate the capabilities of the HLFC, considering the entire design flight envelope, low-speed performance requirements, and various potential mission scenarios. A combination of medium-fidelity aerodynamic design tools for laminar flow control using MSES-COCO-LILO, CFD RANS for high-lift cases, the quasi-three-dimensional for database generations, and SUAVE for mission analysis were used to design and assess aircraft’s performance with the HLFC wing. Studies of the design objective demonstrated a conflict between friction and compressibility drag that strongly affects the design objective function and the wing performance at various off-design conditions. A strong dependence of HLFC on flight conditions was observed to indicate technology performance limitations and a tradeoff between airplane emissions, range, and costs. Finally, a comparison of medium- and low-fidelity performance results showed deviations in the design fuel burn of 4%, a minimum possible harmonic range difference of 3%, and direct operating costs of 2%. The outcome suggests the need for better compressibility and parasite drag models for early design stages to accurately model the HLFC technology without introducing complicated methods at the first sizing steps.

French mobile neurosurgical unit: a retrospective analysis of 22 years of mission

IntroductionThe French mobile neurosurgical unit (MNSU) is used to provide specific support to remote military medicosurgical units deployed in foreign theatres. If a neurosurgical casualty is present, the Role 2...

Fuel consumption and trailing-edge noise tradeoff studies via mission-based airfoil shape optimization

Aerodynamic drag is often used as a proxy for fuel consumption in aircraft design. However, the aeroacoustic byproduct of airfoil design, such as trailing-edge noise (TEN), is yet to be considered in aircraft applications, despite its inclusion in wind turbine designs. To explore the impact of TEN in airfoil design for aircraft, we establish a mission-based aerodynamic shape optimization framework. A surrogate-based detailed flight mission analysis (that can simulate a flight mission from takeoff to landing) is incorporated into the optimization framework to obtain realistic flight conditions during takeoff and landing—which are important to assess TEN metrics—and calculate accurate fuel consumption, where both are used to evaluate the objective function. To assess its effectiveness, we compare the results against those of the conventional single-point optimization. Not surprisingly, the mission-based optimization simultaneously reduces fuel consumption and TEN, while the single-point optima (performed at the low Mach region) reduce TEN at the expense of higher fuel consumption. This is due to the tradeoff between aerodynamic performance in the transonic region and aeroacoustic performance in the low Mach region, which cannot be properly analyzed without including flight mission analysis in the optimization loop.

Operational Efficiency Through Optimization of Education and Training Processes in NATO Missions

Abstract This article investigates the ways in which education and military training can contribute to enhancing the operational capabilities of armed forces involved in international missions under the auspices of NATO. Through an analytical approach, which combined literature review, analysis of official documents, and mission analysis, the main challenges and opportunities regarding the optimization of education and training processes within NATO have been identified. Additionally, recommendations have been proposed for strengthening partnerships and exchanging best practices among member states and international organizations to improve military personnel readiness and promote a culture of continuous learning within the armed forces. This research provides a critical perspective on the role of military education and training within NATO and proposes solutions for optimizing armed forces preparedness processes in the current context of global security.

Enabling efficient satellite mission design with rule-based collision avoidance

The growing number of operational spacecraft in Earth's orbit entails an increasing operational effort for collision avoidance (COLA), particularly regarding the coordination of evasive measures. To reduce the associated workload, COLA operations should already be considered in the early planning phases of space missions. The Mission Analysis Software (MAS) is a web-based application developed within the ESA-funded CASCADE (Collision avoidance, satellite coordination assessment demonstration environment) project by OKAPI:Orbits and TU Darmstadt for this purpose. The software follows a data-driven approach to offer satellite operators, mission designers, service providers, agencies, and authorities two services: conjunction assessment and rule analysis. The conjunction assessment provides an estimation of the number and type of conjunctions to be expected on the targeted orbit and identifies frequently conjuncting parties for the current population of active satellites as well as for conceivable future scenarios. The rule analysis follows a rule-based approach to coordinate COLA between individual operators, allowing users to build custom hierarchical rule sets from pre-defined rule building blocks to achieve a desired split of effort between the conjunction parties. The MAS enables the assessment of the operational consequences for a chosen rule set, empowering users to reach bilateral agreements with identified frequently conjuncting parties to determine the obligation to take evasive measures for future conjunctions. The approach of the MAS allows for the pre-emptive reduction of the expected number of conjunctions enabling operators to optimize orbit parameters within their mission constraints as well as the automatization of COLA coordination during operations. Through this, the MAS optimizes propellant needs, mission time, and required workforce associated with COLA for space missions.This paper presents the MAS, showcasing the key features and use cases that have been developed closely with stakeholders and the European Space Agency. Furthermore, the data-based simulation approach of the MAS will be explained, covering the data sources and design choices for the conjunction detection and propagation module. The paper also presents the results of a preliminary rule analysis conducted for the population of active satellites in low Earth orbit as of April 2023. As an intermediate result of an on-going research activity involving the authoring entities, a major goal of this paper is to engage with satellite operators, mission designers, service providers, agencies, and authorities in order to tailor the results of the activity to their actual needs.

Hot Corrosion Damage Modeling in Aeroengines Based on Performance and Flight Mission

Hot corrosion is a form of chemical damage that causes surface degradation, sound material loss, and reduced component life. A lifing analysis in aeroengines without considering hot corrosion can lead to unexpected damage findings and increased scrap rates due to blade thickness loss beyond repair. This paper presents a novel methodology to predict hot corrosion damage based on aeroengine performance and flight mission analysis while taking into account environmental exposure, fuel quality, and material factors. The participating mechanisms, from salt and sulfur ingestion to deposition and hot corrosion attack, are discussed to explain the phenomenon in aeroengine components. In the investigated engine type, the first stage of the low-pressure turbine is the most affected. The application of the new methodology provides insights into the damage progression during the flight, the most affected components and the importance of capturing variations in the fuel quality, environmental exposure at the flight region, and the thrust derate policy. For a representative 1500 n mile mission, the variations in environmental exposure, fuel quality, and derate policy within typical limits can result in up to +350% damage. The outputs of the new framework can inform the decision making for maintenance, repair, and overhaul contract costing and scheduling.