Integration and Testing The MESSENGER Mission to Mercury

Transcription

1 Integration and Testing The MESSENGER Mission to Mercury Marcelite Jenkins Kenneth Brown South Carolina State University 1

2 MErcury Surface, Space ENviroment, GEochemistry, and Ranging 2

3 Why Mercury? Mercury is an extreme terrestrial planet The smallest The densest The oldest surface The largest daily variations in surface temperatures The least explored To develop a better understanding of how Earth formed, how it evolved, and how it interacts with the Sun 3

4 Mariner flyby of Mercury March 29, 1974 September 21, 1974 March 16,

5 Understanding Mercury Why is Mercury so dense? What is the geologic history of Mercury? What is the structure of Mercury's core? What is the nature of Mercury's magnetic field? What are the unusual materials at Mercury's poles? What volatiles are important at Mercury? 5

6 Spacecraft Design The structure is primarily composed of a graphite epoxy material Uses a liquid chemical propulsion system Two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, provide the power. The "brains" of the spacecraft are redundant integrated electronics modules (IEMs) that house two processors Receives commands and sends data primarily through its circularly polarized Xband phased-array antennas 6

7 Spacecraft Design Attitude determination is performed using star-tracking cameras and an Inertial Measurement Unit containing four gyroscopes and four accelerometers, with six Digital Solar Sensors as a backup Attitude control is mostly accomplished using four reaction wheels inside the spacecraft and small thrusters Operates at room temperature behind a sunshade made of heat-resistant ceramic cloth 7

8 Instruments Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) Magnetometer (MAG) Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS): Radio Science (RS) 8

9 Trajectory Launch window opens May Launch 11, 2004 First of three Venus flybys is First scheduled on November 2, 2004 from the night side, then flying past the day side of Venus on August 28, 2005, then again on October 22, 2006 Mercury s flybys on October Mercury s 16, 2007, and July 7, 2008 Yearlong orbit mission begins Yearlong in July

10 Integration & Test Kenneth Brown South Carolina State University Willie Caraballo City College of New York Marcelite Jenkins South Carolina State University Alexander Torres City College of New York 10

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12 Summer Work EPOCH Display Language (EDL) Pages Testing Procedures Satellite Test & Operations Language (STOL) Proc Scripts 12

13 Introduction to EDL Pages EPOCH T&C Software EDL (EPOCH Display Language) To display specified telemetry in an organized fashion 13

14 EDL Page Process Database Coding Display Panel 14

15 Database Retrieval Various Retrieval Processes Website Telemetry Database EPOCH User Interface (EUI) Manager Telemetry Database Application ID (APID) Packet pages 15

16 Coding 16

17 Completed EDL Pages Willie Kenneth Marcelite CLCW MLA Propulsion FPP MAG Boot MP FPP Boot MASCS GC Preburn TRIOS MDIS SADA XRS LIMITS NUS RWA G&C Autonomy Alexander Power SSR PAF Plot AST 17

18 Example Pages Multiple pages provide clarity of information Use of pushbuttons Diverse layout formats 18

19 Testing Procedures Used for electrical integration of each Instruments EPS (Energetic Particle Spectrometer) GRS (Gamma-ray Spectrometer) MASCS (Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer) MGA (Magnetometer) MLA (Mercury Laser Altimeter) NS (Neutron Spectrometer) XRS (X-ray Spectrometer) 19

20 STOL Procedures STOL (Satellite Test & Operations Language) Used to configure and control EPOCH T&CTM Status Limits 20

21 Conclusions Mercury Design of MESSENGER and its Instruments EDL Pages TEST Procedures STOL Proc Scripts 21

22 Acknowledgements We would like to thank the following persons and groups for their efforts in making this a successful summer internship. MU-SPIN Dr. James Harrington Dr. Leon P. Johnson Dr. Shermane Austin Beverly Lee JHU APL Barbara Northrop James Leary SEI Division Affiliate Schools Grants NASA/MUSPIN CUNY Network Resource and Training site NYC Space Science Dean Ramona Brown & other Research Alliance faculty/staff at City College of New York Dr. Don Walter & other faculty/staff at South Carolina State University 22

23 Acknowledgements This work was supported by a subgrant from Tennessee State University (TSU) to South Carolina State University (SCSU) under NASA-URC NCCW0085 awarded to TSU. Awards to SCSU from NASA OSS grant NNG04GD62G and NASA-MU-SPIN under grants NCC and NNG04GC40A. 23