Session
Session IV: Innovative Mission Operation Concepts
Abstract
The Forward CLTU Service, a component of CCSDS’s Space Link Extension, represents a substantial cost savings, mitigates risk, and minimizes ground system development and integration time. This exciting breakthrough enables a consistent interface, independent of the ground hardware and antenna performing the actual uplink. Thus, this standard protocol has the potential to expand the number of heterogeneous uplink assets available to a mission. In addition, mission operators can become familiar with one protocol, decoupled from any mission-specific commanding requirements. The COmet Nucleus TOUR (CONTOUR) will be the first externally operated NASA mission to incorporate the SLE Forward CLTU Service. Launching in July 2002, CONTOUR will be operated from its Mission Operations Center (MOC) at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD, USA, using the Deep Space Mission System (DSMS). CONTOUR will be the first mission to utilize the SLE Forward CLTU Service for launch and early operations. The SLE Forward CLTU Service is 100% reusable on future missions. Subsequent missions managed by JHU/APL, including MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER), Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO), and New Horizons, will utilize this service, unchanged. The rapid integration of this new technology into an existing ground system will be described.
Commanding via the CCSDS Forward CLTU Service
The Forward CLTU Service, a component of CCSDS’s Space Link Extension, represents a substantial cost savings, mitigates risk, and minimizes ground system development and integration time. This exciting breakthrough enables a consistent interface, independent of the ground hardware and antenna performing the actual uplink. Thus, this standard protocol has the potential to expand the number of heterogeneous uplink assets available to a mission. In addition, mission operators can become familiar with one protocol, decoupled from any mission-specific commanding requirements. The COmet Nucleus TOUR (CONTOUR) will be the first externally operated NASA mission to incorporate the SLE Forward CLTU Service. Launching in July 2002, CONTOUR will be operated from its Mission Operations Center (MOC) at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD, USA, using the Deep Space Mission System (DSMS). CONTOUR will be the first mission to utilize the SLE Forward CLTU Service for launch and early operations. The SLE Forward CLTU Service is 100% reusable on future missions. Subsequent missions managed by JHU/APL, including MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER), Solar-TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO), and New Horizons, will utilize this service, unchanged. The rapid integration of this new technology into an existing ground system will be described.
