Plans for a fully automated SGSLR system - NASA3 Sigma Space Corporation 4 Cybioms Corporation Plans for a fully automated SGSLR system ILRS Technical Workshop Riga 1-6 Oct, 2017 (McGarry)

ILRSTechnicalWorkshopRiga1-6Oct,2017(McGarry) 1

Space Geodesy Satellite Laser Ranging

JanMcGarry1,HowardDonovan2,JulieHorvath2,JohnCheek3,EvanHoffman1,RandallRicklefs4,ChristopherClarke2 ,AnthonyMann2,ScottWetzel2,JohnDegnan3

1NASAGoddardSpaceFlightCenter2KBRwyle (formerlyHTSI)3SigmaSpaceCorporation4CybiomsCorporation

PlansforafullyautomatedSGSLRsystem


Abstract

TheSpaceGeodesySatelliteLaserRangingsystem(SGSLR)isbeingdesignedwiththegoaloffullautomation. LessonslearnedonNGSLRand othersystems arebeingimplementedinSGSLR. AutomationwillbeachievedinstageswiththefirststagebeingremoteoperationalcapabilityattheMcDonaldandNy-Alesund SGSLRsystemswhenmanyoftheoperationaltaskswillalreadybeautomated. Ultimately,SGSLRwillsendscienceandmonitoringdatato,andreceivecommandsfrom, theSpaceGeodesyNetworkOperationCenter (SGNOC),similartothewayspacecraftnowoperate. Thehardwareandsoftwareneededto achievefullautomation,andthestagesof implementationwillbediscussed.


PartI:ImmediatePlans


SimplifiedSGSLRSystemBlockDiagram

DSPR SubsystemOptical Bench

Subsystem

Laser Safety Subsystem

Receiver Subsystem

Telescope and Gimbal

Subsystem

Meteorological Subsystem

TPH Sensor

HVP Instrument

Wind Sensor

All-Sky Camera

Backup Sensors(Temp/Wind/Rain)

Laser Subsystem

Timing Subsystem

KeyControl & DataEthernetTiming

GPS Antenna Laser

Aircraft Detection

SSRx

RCE

Acquisition Method

Start DiodeWindow

COM

(x2 TBR)

External Timing

10 MHz1 PPS

(x2)

LCU/RadarTx/Rx via fiber

Blocks Sensors

(x2) (xTBD)

“Bucket”

Laser Safety Sign

Chiller

Optical Control Interface Chassis

Laser Safety Chassis

Manual Control

Box

Radar Tx to VLBI via fiber

Fiber Optic Segments

FS FS

PDU(s)

UPS

HVAC Monitoring

FS

Servo Digital Controller (SDC)

*includes dome environment

Computer and Software SubsystemC

D

D D

DD

D,P

C

P

C,D,P

P P

FS Video Monitoring

PedestalSensors

Visual Tracking Cameras

Aircraft Detect

Camera

FS

Shelter Pier Riser Dome

P

Dome Controller

Laser Fire #1

Laser Fire #2

Star Camera

Beam Profiler

Power Head

Motor Controllers

Environmental Monitor*

Surge Protection

Dome,Shelter,Pier,Riser


SGSLR’sNineMajorSubsystems– Timing&Frequency

• Monitoringoftimingusing2nd GPS• MonitoringinfosenttoSGNOC

– Meteorological• AutomatedreadingofPressure,

Temperature,Humidityforrangecorrection

• HorizontalVisibility,Precipitation,Wind,Skycloudcoverforautomation

– TelescopeandGimbal (GTA)• DomeandradarslewedfromGTA• VisualTrackingAid– usedlocally,

remotelyandsenttoSGNOC

– OpticalBench• Transmitpath,Receivepath,StarCamera,

MotionControl• Softwarecanautomaticallyconfigureall

pathsforallrequiredmodes

AlldatasenttoCentralFacility(SGNOC)

– Laser• Providehealth&diagnosticinformationto

Software• Repetition ratecontrolledbysoftwareto

automaticallyavoidtrasmit/receivecollision

– LaserSafety• NASA/ANSIcompliant,Failsafe,Redundant,

Highlyresponsivehardwarecontrolled• ProvidesinformationtoSoftwareonactions

ittakesandreasonswhy

– Receiver• RangeReceiver– Precisesignaltiming

coupledwithangularoffset infotooptimizetelescopepointing

• AdjustableFOVforacquisition

– Dome,Shelter,Pier,Riser(DSPR)• SoftwarecontrolspowerthroughUPSunits

andcanshuteverythingdown

– ComputerandSoftware• Tiesallsubsystemstogetherformanned,

remote,andautomatedoperations

HardwareDesignedforAutomation


SGNOCSpaceGeodesyNetworkOperationsCenter

u CentralFacilityOperationsCenterforentireSpaceGeodesyNetwork(SGN)–SLR,VLBI,withGNSSandDORISsupport

u Maybemannedupto24x7andwatchesoverallSGNsystems,alertingtechniciansandengineeringwhenneeded

u MuchoftheSGNOCfunctionswillbeautomatedandwilloperatesimilarlytohowspacecraftMissionOperationsCentersdo

u Receivesreal-timestatus&engineeringinformationfromstationsu Provideswebbasedviewofthestationsandtheirperformanceinnearreal-

time(bothpublicviewandarestricted/detailedview)u Providestrendinganalysisforengineers&managersu PerformsallNASASLRDataOperationsCenterfunctionsincludingreceiving

sciencedatafromSGSLRandforwardingtoCDDISandEDCu CommandstheSGSLRstationsasneededu ControloftheSGSLRstationswillrequiretheRATinterfaceatSGNOCu Generatesstationschedules


SGSLRExternalDataFlow


SGSLRNetworkDeploymentsu Firstsystems:

– McDonaldGeodeticObservatory(MGO)– replacingMLRSandbeingbuiltnearby(800m)thenewSGPMGOVGOSsystem(early2020)

– Ny-Ålesund GeodeticObservatory(NGO)– beingbuiltinthesamelocationasthenewNorwegianVLBIantennas(early2022)

– HaleakalaonMauiwillfollowthefirsttwosystems– GGAOwillbeusedasatestbedandthenanoperationalsystem– SGSLRsystemswillreplacerestofNASANetworkincomingyears

u Automationcapabilities– Systemisbeingdesignedtobecomefullyautomated– Localandnear-remoteoperationsatstart– FarremoteoperationswithinayearafterMGOSGSLR– Continuingtofleshoutautomationsoftwareandtestit– Fullyautomatedaround2025


McDonald:preliminarylayout

SGSLR


Ny-Ålesund:inprogress

SGSLR


SGSLRModesofOperationsu SGSLRModesofOperation:

– SatelliteRanging(sciencedatacollectionmode)– SystemCalibration(rangingtogroundtargetsandinternalcal)– StarCalibration(usingstarttogeneratemountpointingcorrections)– VectorTieSystemSupport(automatedsurveymonitoring)– Standby/Maintenance– Diagnostics/Simulation– Power-up/Shutdown

u Regardlessofthemode,operationswillbethesamewhetherahumanoperatorisphysicallypresent,remotelycontrolling,ornotparticipating(automatedoperation). Theonlydifferencewillbewhomakesthedecisions- notwhatfunctionsareperformed.


AutomatedFunctionsforNearRemoteu Automaticallydownloadpredictionsandscheduleandfollow

trackingschedule *u Determinewhensatellitesignalreturnsarecaptured*u Biassystemtocentersatellitereturnsandmaximizedatarateu Performautomatedgroundandstarcalibrations*u AutomaticallychangeOpticalBenchconfigurationbetween

satellitetrackingandground/starcalibrations *u Collectweatherdataevery10secondsandmakedecisionstonot

openorclosethedomeinthepresenceofrainorhighwinds*u Automaticallyblockthelaserforaircraftavoidanceandother

potentialsafetyissues *u Collectdatafromallsubsystemsandmonitorperformance/

identifyproblemsu Automaticallyprocessdata(satellite,groundcalibrationandstars)

anddetermineifperformanceisadequate*u Sendscience,monitoringandperformancedatatoSGNOC*

*NGSLRwasfullyable*NGSLRwaspartiallyable


HardwareinsupportofAutomationReceiver(Detector&EventTimer)

• ProvideClosedLoopTracking• 7x7pixelateddetectorarray(4cornersunused)• Count#ofeventsineachpixelinsupportofsignaldetectionand

todeterminesatellitelocationinRFOV• Drivingsignaltocentralpixelmaximizessignalstrength

• MakePrecise,HighResolutionTimingMeasurementsForAllPixelsOverLongDistances• StartEvents:Singlemeasurementpershot• StopEvents:Multi-stop,lowdead-time• AncillaryEvents(1pps,etc)

• SelectionbasedonprovenheritagehardwarefromSigmaSpaceaircraftandspace-flightdesigns.• Provenonaltimetermissions(aircraft&spaceflight)• SGSLRhardwarewithimprovedhigherresolutionhasbeen

demonstratedinthelab.• DemonstrationatNGSLRinprogresstoevaluateinanSLR

environment.Providesabilitytodetermineifsystemishittingsatelliteandtomaximizesignalstrength.


HardwareinsupportofAutomationLaserSafetySubsystem

Laser Safety Subsystem

Laser Safety Chassis

Diagnostic Monitor Port

Time & Frequency Subsystem

Computer/Software

Subsystem(POPCOM)

Receiver Subsystem

(Laser “Fire”)

Manual Control Box

ExternalSensors&Devices

Hard Block

OpticalAttenuator

Block

•Door#1•Door#2•Stair•AircraftDetect(Radar/GTAPosition)

•Remote#1Box(Enable/Disable)•Remote#1Box(Enable/Disable)•EnableBox

Laser Subsystem

(Laser “Fire”)

Command & Position

Command & Position

Enable/DisableLaser “Fire”

1 PPS

IRIG-B

RS-232

BeamBlocks

LaserSafetySubsystempreventspersonnelfromexposuretolaserlightinsideoroutsidetheSGSLRshelterandpreventsthetransmittedlaserbeamfromstrikinganaircraft.

Providescapabilitytoautomaticallyblockthelaserforsafetyrelatedreasonsincludingaircraftavoidance.


WhathumanoperatorstillneedstodoforearlystageofRemoteOperations

u Re-enablethelasertofireafteraircraftavoidanceorotherlaserblocking

u Determinewheretheskyiscloudyandwhereitisclearu Finalsafetyandsecurityresponsibilitiesremainwithoperator

u Operatorcanstilloverridethescheduleandcanstillenterbiasestobetteroptimizebutshouldnothavetodothismostofthetime

Documents

Plans for a fully automated SGSLR system - NASA3 Sigma Space Corporation 4 Cybioms Corporation Plans for a fully automated SGSLR system ILRS Technical Workshop Riga 1-6 Oct, 2017 (McGarry)