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Architecture Study on Telemetry Coverage for Immediate Post-Separation PhaseThis paper presents the preliminary results of an architecture study that provides continuous telemetry coverage for NASA missions for immediate post-separation phase. This study is a collaboration effort between Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). After launch when the spacecraft separated from the upper stage, the spacecraft typically executes a number of mission-critical operations prior to the deployment of solar panels and the activation of the primary communication subsystem. JPL, GSFC, and APL have similar design principle statements that require continuous coverage of mission-critical telemetry during the immediate post-separation phase. To conform to these design principles, an architecture that consists of a separate spacecraft transmitter and a robust communication network capable of tracking the spacecraft signals is needed.This paper presents the preliminary results of an architecture study that provides continuous telemetry coverage for NASA missions for immediate post-separation phase. This study is a collaboration effort between Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), and Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). After launch when the spacecraft separated from the upper stage, the spacecraft typically executes a number of mission-critical operations prior to the deployment of solar panels and the activation of the primary communication subsystem. JPL, GSFC, and APL have similar design principle statements that require continuous coverage of mission-critical telemetry during the immediate post-separation phase. To conform to these design principles, an architecture that consists of a separate spacecraft transmitter and a robust communication network capable of tracking the spacecraft signals is needed. The main results of this study are as follows: 1) At low altitude (< 10000 km) when most post-separation critical operations are executed, Earth-based network (e.g. Deep Space Network (DSN)) can only provide limited coverage, whereas space-based network (e.g. Space Network (SN)) can provide continuous coverage. 2) Commercial-off-the-shelf SN compatible transmitters are available for small satellite applications. In this paper we present the detailed coverage analysis of Earth-based and Space-based networks. We identify the key functional and performance requirements of the architecture, and describe the proposed selection criteria of the spacecraft transmitter. We conclude the paper with a proposed forward plan.
Document ID
20090039479
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Cheung, Kar-Ming
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Lee, Charles H.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kellogg, Kent H.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Stocklin, Frank J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Zillig, David J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Fielhauer, Karl B.
(Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
May 12, 2008
Subject Category
Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command And Tracking
Meeting Information
Meeting: SpaceOps 2008: Protecting the Earth, Exploring the Universe
Location: Heidelberg
Country: Germany
Start Date: May 12, 2008
End Date: May 16, 2008
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, European Space Agency
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
architecture
post-separation
telemetry

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