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Past Conference Papers:
Responsive Missions - Commercial
| Paper Number RS1-2003-2003: Developments in Commercial Near-Space Systems | |
| Jerry Knoblach (Space Data Corporation), Jerry Queenville (Space Data Corporation) | |
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| Abstract: An Arizona company is nearing commercial deployment of a wire less communications system based on platforms which free-drift on balloons at 31,500 meters (100,000 feet). The system provides two-way wireless messaging to existing commercial devices in a 570-km (360-mile) diameter coverage circle. The system is based on a constellation of small (less than six pounds), low cost (a few hundred dollars each), short life (24 hours) expendable electronics packages launched on conventional weather balloons, which free drift with the uniform winds in the stratosphere. A seventy-platform constellation covering the continental United States (US) is planned to enter commercial operations within a year. This new type of constellation can service several traditional space missions on a lowcost and responsive basis because the major barriers related to rocket launches are eliminated. Also since the platform is over twenty times closer to the earth than even a low earth orbit satellite, radio link budgets and optical resolutions are greatly improved. These stratospheric platforms offer several advantages in the areas of development time, cost, logistics, and responsiveness. Since the platforms are over 20 times closer to the user than a satellite, only move at tens of miles per hour, and are not subject to long-term exposure to radiation in the space environment, they can be developed using the components and processes widely used in the commercial electronics industry. Since the platforms make use of mass production techniques and mass-produced components, the cost per platform can be very low cost. Since the platforms are launched on weather balloons which have been in operation on a daily basis from thousand of sites for over half a century and are produced using readily available contract manufacturing resources, the logistics are well established and current launch sites provide coverage to virtually the entire landmass of the earth. The platforms can be prepared for launch and put on station in only two hours from a site a couple hundred miles from the desired area of coverage. With Moore’s Law continuing to increase the capability and reduce the costs of electronics, the velocity of technology is everyday increasing the advantage of systems that can be developed and deployed quickly. This paper details the development of the current wireless communications network currently in precommercial testing and then discusses the range of possible applications for the technology including: remote imaging, wireless voice and high data rate applications, signal intelligence, bi-static radar and others. It also offers several comparisons of traditional satellites versus this new technology on important capability metrics. | |
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| Paper Number RS1-2003-7004: The Benefits of Commercial Spaceports | |
| Jay T. Edwards (USAF) | |
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| Paper Number RS1-2003-8003: DNEPR Program: Prospects and Advantages for Responsive Space | |
| Valdimir A. Andreev (International Space Company), Vladimir S. Mikhailov (International Space Company), Vladislav A. Solovey (International Space Company), Yuri N. Smagin (International Space Company) | |
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| Abstract: Russian converted Dnepr-1 launch vehicle that has been in operation since 1999 may be of interest to low budget responsive space programs. This launch vehicle possesses the reliability index of 0.97 and the launch price within the range of $7-11 M. Performance capability to LEO is up to 3,700 kg. Prospective performance to GEO is 300 kg. Dnepr-1 will be available at the world’s space market until 2020. The Dnepr Program provides for creation of a space launch system by means of conversion of the Russian SS-18 ICBM. The program was initiated in 1997. Now the low budget programs for responsive space have a unique opportunity to use Russian efficient, low-cost launch system Dnepr-1. This system has a good flight history of 160 launches including 3 commercial flights that accounted for orbital injection of 12 spacecraft. Dnepr launch vehicle is based on SS-18 ICBM that was designed by a big team of Russian and Ukrainian aerospace companies. The SS-18 missile system is in service with the Russian Ministry of Defense. Program for development and commercial operation of Dnepr Space Launch System based on SS-18 ICBMs being eliminated is the largest Russian-Ukrainian conversion program. A large number of SS-18s (about 150) is available for conversion into Dnepr launch vehicles. This establishes a sound basis for implementation of space programs until 2016-2020. International Space Company (ISC) Kosmotras is in charge of the development and commercial operation of the Dnepr-1 launch vehicle on behalf of the presidents, governments and space agencies of Russia and Ukraine. Dnepr-1 is launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome that is located in Kazakhstan and therefore Kazakhstan is also involved in the Dnepr Program operations, which also enjoy the support of the President of Kazakhstan. | |
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| Paper Number RS2-2004-3004: Orbital Recovery's Responsive Commercial Space Tug For Life Extension Missions | |
| Dennis Ray Wingo (Orbital Recovery Corporation) | |
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| Abstract: Orbital Recovery Corporation (ORC) and its UK subsidiary Orbital Recovery Limited (ORL) are in the developmental stage of an orbital space tug called the Orbital Life Extension Vehicle (OLEV), whose purpose is to mechanically mate with an existing communications spacecraft in GEO or GEO intended orbit, take over north/south and east/west station keeping as well as attitude control. The OLEV is designed as a secondary payload on an Ariane V launch vehicle and carries a Hall Effect Thruster (HET) to execute GTO to GEO orbit raising, rendezvous and docking, and operations of the coupled spacecraft pair. The OLEV does not transfer fuel or otherwise interface with the parent spacecraft. The OLEV is designed to mate with any three axis stabilized spacecraft and has sufficient supplies to keep a 3000 kg parent spacecraft in geostationary orbit for up to an additional ten years of life. | |
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| Paper Number RS3-2005-2006: Commercial Suborbital Spaceflight and Its Relevance to Responsive Space | |
| Jeff Foust (Futron Corporation) | |
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| Abstract: A major issue for responsive space operations is determining how to develop and operate launch systems that are both responsive and effective. This issue is also being tackled in parallel by the nascent commercial suborbital launch industry, as new vehicles are developed to support emerging markets, including space tourism. If these vehicles do come into high demand, they provide operational paradigms and other lessons learned that are applicable to responsive space operations. The first section of this paper examines the markets that are being pursued by commercial suborbital vehicle developers. The best known, and largest, of these is space tourism, or public space travel. A market study performed by the Futron Corporation in 2002 shows that demand or such services will be high, at least by the standards of the space industry, with over 4,000 potential passengers per year by 2015 and over 15,000 by 2021. Meeting this demand will require hundreds of suborbital launches a year. In addition, other markets, ranging from remote sensing to microgravity science, have the potential to stimulate additional demand for suborbital launch services. Suborbital flight’s relevance to responsive space takes two forms. One, suborbital vehicles themselves can fill some of the roles envisioned for responsive space operations, such as reconnaissance and microsatellite launch. A bigger role, though, will be the operational lessons that suborbital spaceflight can offer to responsive space developers. Specific lessons will emerge over time, but will likely include the need for standard payloads and interfaces to shorten payload integration time, and the need for “aircraft-like” operations that require small teams and short periods of time. | |
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| Paper Number RS5-2007-1003: Future Optical Surveillance Using Small Satellites | |
| Stuart Eves (Surrey Satellite Technology) | |
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| Abstract: The paper will describe the successes of the TopSat and Beijing-1 surveillance missions, and will indicate how the lessons-learned from these satellites will influence the design of the next generation of optical surveillance constellations. Specifically, the ability to collect data with multiple sensors at different resolutions over different areas allows the satellites to be used responsively in different modes, depending upon the nature of the crisis situation. The agility of small satellites allows them to use Ground Motion Compensation modes to collect data over a wider range of illumination conditions, and the paper will illustrate how this capability allows a broader range of orbits to be considered, (with consequent implications for revisit rates, and hence responsiveness). This agility can also be used to implement in-pass stereo and wide-swath imaging modes when required. With the launch of the RapidEye constellation now imminent, the paper will also describe how the design of the next generation of satellites will be specifically designed for launch as part of a constellation. | |
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| Paper Number RS3-2005-A009: Tranformational Range & Spaceport Technologies | |
| D. Skelly (KSC) | |
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| Paper Number RS5-2007-A001: TacSat 4 Overview | |
| Tacsat Status Panel | |
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| Paper Number RS7-2009-3010: Nanosatellite Tracking Ships: Responsive, Seven-Month Nanosatellite Construction for a Rapid On-Orbit Automatic Identification System Experiment
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| Freddy Pranajaya (Space Flight Laboratory), Robert E. Zee (Space Flight Laboratory), Jeff Cain (COM DEV Limited), Richard Kolacz (COM DEV Limited) | |
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| Abstract: The Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies and COM DEV Ltd have developed a low Earth orbit nanosatellite in less than seven months to perform rapid turnaround experiments in space to detect and study Automatic Indentification System (AIS) signals transmitted by maritime vessels. The satellite, known as "Nanosatellite Tracking Ships" (NTS) leverages both SFL's CanX-2 nanosatellite technology and Generic Nanosatellite Bus (GNB) mechanical design to house a custom AIS receiver payload developed by COM DEV Ltd. NTS was developed under an extremely tight schedule, with on-orbit results required within a year from contract start. NTS have successfully met all of its mission objectives and continues to operate in orbit. This paper outlines how SFL and COM DEV were able to rapidly design, construct and deploy a custom satellite to respond to the opportunity to bring on-orbit AIS detection services to the international community. | |
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| Paper Number RS7-2009-6005: Nanosatellite Tracking of Ships — Review of the First Year of Operations | |
| Franz Newland (COM DEV Ltd), Elliott Coleshill (COM DEV Ltd), Ian DSouza (COM DEV Ltd), Jeff Cain (COM DEV Ltd) | |
| View/Download:Presentation | Paper | |
| Abstract: The COM DEV Nanosatellite Tracking of Ships (NTS) mission has now been operating successfully for 7 months, exceeding its life requirement of one-month and even the goal of 6-months. The spacecraft was launched at the end of April 2008 following an unprecedented 8-month kick-off to launch cycle. NTS is still producing valuable results from its Automated Identification System (AIS) payload, designed to collect messages from maritime vessels around the globe. The mission has given COM DEV unique insight into the potential for collecting AIS signals from space and has demonstrated the superior performance of COM DEV’s AIS payload in addressing some of the difficulties of AIS message detection from space. With the success of the spacecraft, the objectives for the mission have been extended beyond the initial demonstration of the potential for collecting AIS messages from space. Even with its limited functionality, NTS payload has succeeded in collecting AIS data from all parts of the globe and is now being used to test the payload design envelope to optimise future payload design. Within the equivalent of just over 45 minutes of cumulative payload operation, NTS has collected messages from an estimated 1/7th of the world’s shipping population equipped with AIS transmitters. Having demonstrated responsive spacecraft development during the NTS design and build cycle, the past 7 months have demonstrated a number of responsive operations activities by COM DEV and its contractors, including supporting collaborative experiments with sensor suites from other missions. Results have exceeded expectations to the point that operations have been extended indefinitely, and have been enhanced through an additional low-cost ground station built in collaboration with the University of Aalborg in Denmark. This ground station allows faster data turnaround from the satellite and supplements the existing station operated by the University of Toronto Institute of Aerospace Studies’ Space Flight Laboratory (UTIAS/SFL). The development of an additional ground station for NTS within a very limited budget has been possible through university collaboration and reuse of existing assets, both important elements in commercially responsive space activities. This paper presents the results of the NTS mission to date and how the mission has been extended to meet other objectives. Having been developed as a highly responsive mission, NTS has very successfully demonstrated the operational utility and capabilities of responsive space over the past 7 months, and the operational flexibility that is still achievable with such missions. The paper also discusses the ongoing operations activities for NTS, and the impact of NTS on future AIS missions including the upcoming Defence Research and Development Canada / Canadian Space Agency (DRDC/CSA) sponsored M3MSat microsatellite mission intended for launch in 2010. | |
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