Enabling The Future: NASA’s Routes to Future Large UV ... · NEXT FY02 Annual Report: Overview...

Enabling The Future: NASA’s Routes to Future

Large UV/Optical Telescopes in Space

April 10, 2003Space Telescope Science Institute

Harley ThronsonDirector of TechnologyOffice of Space Science

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NEXT FY02 Annual Report: Overview

Overview (1): Primer on “Enabling the Future”

Essential Steps for Future OSS Missions

1. Mission Science Goals Clearly Traceable to Agency/OSS Prioritieso Strong recommendation by National Academy a good thing

2. Mission Concepts/Analyses that Accomplishes Three Things1. Priority technology investments and strategy2. Affordable design that achieves clear science goals3. Builds upon preceding technologies and ‘stepping stone’ for

subsequent missionso Coordination with other Enterprises/Agencies/nations?

3. Technology Program to Deliver Essential Capabilities4. Advocacy Within NASA: the NASA Strategic Plan and OSS Strategy5. Repeat as Necessary


Overview (2): Developing Mission Concepts within NASA

Creating Future OSS Missions

Historically, OSS has not had a formal program to develop futuremission concepts and identify the technologies to enable them.

This has changed -- somewhat -- in the past couple years via four activities:

1. The NASA Exploration Team (NEXT) (extinct, but POC: H. Thronson)

2. The OSS strategic planning process (POC: M. Allen)3. The upcoming OSS “Vision Missions” NRA (POC: M. Allen)4. Code R (OAT)-funded concept studies (POC: H. Thronson/C.

Moore)

These ad hoc activities may be coordinated via an Agency-wide analysis and prioritization activity beginning later this spring.

=> Identification of technology investment priorities are an essential product of these studies.


Overview (3): Technology Prioritization within OSS

Making Technology Happen Within OSS

Historically, OSS has not had many formal programs to develop the technologies necessary to enable future missions.

This has changed -- somewhat -- in the past couple years via four activities:

1. The In-Space Propulsion Program2. The Nuclear Systems Initiative (aka, Prometheus Program)3. The proposed Advanced Communication initiative4. Process for FY05 initiatives has just begun5. Coordinated funding opportunities with Code R/OAT

1. Large optical systems2. Detectors and sensors, emphasizing large-area IR arrays3. Very low-power electronics4. Others: information systems, materials, . . .

=> Technology investment priorities are determined via technology roadmapping within OSS Divisions


NASA’s VisionTo improve life here,

To extend life to there,To find life beyond.

To understand and protect our home planetTo explore the Universe and search for lifeTo inspire the next generation of explorers

…as only NASA can.

NASA’s Mission


• History of major Solar System events

• Effects of deep space on cells

• Impact of human and natural events upon Earth

• Origin of life in the Solar System

• Planetary sample analysis: absolute age determination

“calibrating the clocks”

• Measurement of genomic responses to radiation

• Measurement of Earth’s vital signs

“taking the pulse”

• Detection of bio-markers and hospitable environments

• Asteroids• Moon• Mars• Venus

• Beyond Van Allen belts

• Earth orbits

• Libration points

• Cometary nuclei• Europa• Libration

points• Mars• Titan

• How did the Solar Systemevolve?

• How do humans adapt to space?

• What is Earth’s sustainability and habitability?

• Is there Life beyond the planet of origin? • Origin of life

in the Universe

Science Priorities Determine Priority Activities(Selected Examples)

Pursuits ActivitiesScience Questions Destinations

How did we get here?

Where are we going?

Are we alone?

“To Explore the Universe . . . “


Stepping Stones to NASA’s Future

Each Major Capability Prepares for Subsequent Steps


Architecture Concepts to Date: Using the Libration Points Design Reference Missions for Stepping Outward from LEO

Telescopes at Sun-Earth L1/L2

Lunar Exploration

Construct, Deploy, and

Service Large Science Platforms

Mars Exploration

LEO/ISS

“Accessible Planetary Surfaces”

“Accessible Planetary Surfaces”

“Earth’s Neighborhood”

“Earth’s Neighborhood”

Jupiter/Callisto

Outer Planet Exploration

“Earth and LEO”

“Earth and LEO”

Tug

Crew Transfer Vehicle

Lunar Lander

Orbital Aggregation & Space Infrastructure

Systems (OASIS)Outpost at Libration Point ‘Gateway’

“Go Anywhere, Anytime”

“Go Anywhere, Anytime”

Artificial Gravity Vehicle

24


To Explore the Universe and Search for LifePriority Technologies to Enable the Future

• Space Transportation– Safe, fast, and efficient; aerobraking,

electric propulsion, station-keeping

• Affordable, Abundant Power– Solar and nuclear; power management

• Crew Health and Safety– Counter measures and medical

autonomy

• Optimized Robotic and Human Operations– Dramatically higher productivity; on-

site intelligence

• Space Systems Performance– Advanced materials and optical systems,

detectors/sensors, advanced communication, low-mass, self-healing, self-assembly, self-sufficiency…

Space Solar Power

M2P2

L1 Outpost

Invariant Manifolds

Gossamer Telescopes

Artificial Gravity

Robonaut

AerobrakingRLV NEP

Nanotube Space Elevator


Progressive Exploration CapabilitiesProgressive Exploration Capabilities

Now

Sustainable Planetary Surface

Capability

Accessible Planetary Surface

Capability

•• InIn--space propulsion, space propulsion, IspIsp>1000 sec, high thrust>1000 sec, high thrust

•• Power systems, >200 Power systems, >200 w/kg w/kg

•• Integrated Human/ Integrated Human/ robotic capabilitiesrobotic capabilities

•• Crew countermeasures Crew countermeasures for 100 days for 100 days

•• Closure of water/air Closure of water/air systems systems

•• Materials, factor of 9Materials, factor of 9•• IVHM IVHM -- Integrated Integrated

Vehicle Health Vehicle Health MonitoringMonitoring

•• Current launch systemsCurrent launch systems


•• Power systems, >500 Power systems, >500 w/kgw/kg

•• Robotic Robotic aggregation/assemblyaggregation/assembly

•• Crew countermeasures for Crew countermeasures for 11--3 years3 years

•• Complete closure of Complete closure of air/water; options for air/water; options for foodfood

•• Materials, factor of 20Materials, factor of 20•• MicroMicro--//NanoNano-- avionicsavionics•• ETO @ ~$2000/kg ETO @ ~$2000/kg

Payload: 20 to 40mtPayload: 20 to 40mt


•• Sustainable power Sustainable power systems systems

•• Intelligent systems, orbital Intelligent systems, orbital and planetary and planetary

•• Crew countermeasures for Crew countermeasures for indefinite durationindefinite duration

•• Closure of life support, Closure of life support, including foodincluding food

•• ISRU for consumables & ISRU for consumables & sparesspares

•• Materials, factor of 40Materials, factor of 40•• Automated reasoning and Automated reasoning and

smart sensingsmart sensing•• ETO @ <$2000/kg ETO @ <$2000/kg

Payload: 40 to 80mtPayload: 40 to 80mt

Earth’s Neighborhood

Capability

2010+ 2020+ 2030+


Telescope Concept

To Explore the Universe and Search for LifeLarge Optical Systems

Mission: Invest in the technologies for the post-JWST optical systems that will be necessary for NASA’s search for life beyond the Solar System.

Priority Investments:– Lightweight affordable optical materials– Precision metrology and wavefront control– Robotic and telerobotic systems for remote operation– Thermal controls systems– Detectors and sensors

Collaborations: Academia, JPL, GSFC, DARPA, NRO, and NASA Earth Science

Remote Telescope Assembly and Deployment (Animation)

Potential Telescope Assembly Capabilities57


Key Elements of Mission Concept Scenarios Studied to Date

• Selected a large (10 m), lightweight IR/SubMM gossamer telescope, DART, as the baseline design for conducting initial set of studies. This design tests the limits of conventional deployment/assembly technologies

• Investigated three scenarios for assembly and/or deployment Scenario 1. LEO assembly + E-M L1 deployment--w/astronaut assistance(see Filled Aperture Infrared (FAIR) Telescope Assembly 57 pg presentation from JSC, Dec 01)

Scenario 2. E-M L1 assembly & deployment--w/astronaut assistance(see Human & Robot Cooperative Teams 18 pg presentation from JPL, Jul 02)

Scenario 3. E-M L1 or E-S L2 fully autonomous deployment(see Summary Report on the NExT Telescope Team Design Workshop from JPL, Sept 02)

• For astronaut assembly concepts, Scenario 1 assumes Space Shuttle-EVA infrastructure and Scenario 2 assumes a Gateway infrastructure are operational & staffed appropriately for assembly of large structures.

• Focused on characterizing & prioritizing new technologies needed to accomplish the mission


Decision Capture of Team X/DART Design

• Decision capture methods were used to investigate different design options- Several scenario options piloted to capture: design assumptions, considered design

approaches, and rationale for choosing the selected design solutions- The exercise focused on enabling technologies and high-risk design elements

• The developed decision capture capability can be used to- Identify and challenge critical design elements and sensitivities- Illuminate common-mode risks, FMs, assumptions, and dependencies- Generate design libraries for future use- Provide a single-source representation of multiple decision paths and mission concepts- Auto-generate technology roadmaps

• Decision capture studies illuminated the need for more/early collaborations among - Scientists (to define/explain science goals) - Area technologists (to suggest the possible enabling technology options)- Systems engineers (to tie together the various facility/technology elements)- Program planners (to ensure that viable options are considered & recorded)- Designers (to capture the design concepts in viewable imagery)


Telescope Deployment in LEO

1. Launch LEO-to-L1 Propulsion Stage to Low Earth Orbit on Expendable Launch Vehicle2. Launch Shuttle to Low Earth Orbit3. Rendezvous Shuttle to Close Proximity with Propulsion Stage4. Build Truss Assembly in Shuttle Payload Bay (Image 1)5. Mate Truss with Spacecraft and Sunshield (Image 2, 3)6. Rendezvous and Berth Propulsion Stage to Shuttle (Image 4)7. Mate Completed Telescope with Propulsion Stage (Image 5)8. Perform final telescope testing and alignment (Image 6)9. Release telescope10. Shuttle de-orbit and landing

1 2 3

4 5 6


Deployed DART C-Clamp Configuration

Stowed C-Clamp DART in 6-m diameter Delta IV heavy fairing

“Modified C-Clamp” Telescope Stowage

Modified (C-Clamp) 10-m DART configuration Designed for autonomous deployment


Key Results to Date:Large Optical Systems

• Developed three scenario concepts for implementation of FAIR-DARTScenario 1. LEO assembly + E-M L1 deployment--w/astronaut assistanceScenario 2. E-M L1 assembly & deployment--w/astronaut assistanceScenario 3. E-M L1 or L2 fully autonomous deployment

• Authored design reports based on JPL Team X design trade studies• Devised and tested a technique for capturing the basis of Team X design

decisions for mission scenario concepts • Conceptualized a method for autonomously deploying gossamer optics• Studied autonomous deployment of a large complex space structure• Devised a DART configuration capable of being autonomously deployed• Initiated a study of contamination of space optics from EVAs, Gateway, &

airlock sources• Concluded that autonomous deployment of large space structures becomes

exponentially more complicated when multiple launch vehicles are needed to lift facility and science elements into the deployment/science location


•Robotics- Astronaut assistants (Robonauts/Remote Manipulator System/mini-AERcam)

•EVA/human infrastructure- Contamination reduction (esp. H2O, CO2, O2, N2); from suits, airlock, Gateway- Improvements in dexterity, accessibility, mobility, stability (incl. hand/foot locks)

(see HTCI/THREADs advanced EVA/robotics roadmap)•Instrument lightweighting

- Reduce by factors of 10! (packaging, electronics, optics)- Simpify sensor arrays to simply systems

•Telescope structural design, materials, optical alignment- Gossamer design (DART-like structure) vs. lightweight segmented panels- Methods for integrating utilities into structural elements (conn., heaters, actuators)

•Thermal control of structure and reflective surfaces- Cryocoolers for active cooling- V-Groove radiators for passive cooling (inflatable-rigidizable?)

•Propulsion- Clean (contamination-free; Xe) and reliable thrusters for pointing/positioning

•Power Generation/Storage- Gateway robotic operations/astronaut habitat

•Communications- Large data rate from large detector arrays needs to be transmitted or science is lost

Technology Priorities:Enabling Future Large Optical Systems


Unresolved Issues

•Quantitative effects of contaminants on reflective surfaces need to be more thoroughly understood and documented

- details regarding how much contamination (by constituent) can be tolerated on surfaces to be used for observations in UV, visible, NIR, FIR, etc)

•Contamination mitigation techniques need to be devised that will limit the effects of contamination to tolerable levels, for example:

- Methods for effectively heating the structure/mirror after assembly- EVA suits that are much cleaner than contemporary models- Airlock techniques that have low contamination impact

•Structural dynamic modeling needs to be done to study - the impact on the structure of boost from LEO to L1 or L2 (Scenario 1)- the vibration stability of the autonomously deployed C-Clamp structure

•Effects of particle radiation from Van Allen belt on telescope instruments and electronics during boost from LEO to L1 or L2.•What is the best mission scenario

- considering space junk and gravity gradient at LEO- considering cost of designing, deploying and staffing Gateway for L1- considering need to service both at initial deployment and later add-ons


Chaos“As for the future, your task is

not to foresee it, but to enable it”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery


Overview (1): Primer on “Enabling the Future”

Enabling The Future: NASA’s Routes to Future Large UV ... · NEXT FY02 Annual Report: Overview...

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