Naval Research Laboratory Automated Ground Operations

Naval Research Laboratory Automated Ground Operations Patricia Klein May 2010 patricia.klein@nrl.navy.mil (202) 767-6636 Briefing is UNCLASS 1

AGENDA BP overview and missions What is AGO? Automated Ground Ops Software Scheduling Resource Management Contact Plan Execution External Notification Observations 2

BLOSSOM POINT Government (NRL) owned facility RF quiet environment Classified and Unclassified communications in place Physical and data access control for DoD/SCI/SAP 35 miles to Washington, DC Government (NRL) owned software (CGA) Non-proprietary Source code transferable to government partners 3

BP CONNECTIVITY 3.5 Meter 13 Meter SGLS SGLS/X-Band 10 Meter SGLS 6m L/C Band 6m S/UHF USB SNE Antennas (FY10) R&D San Diego Melbourne Florida Misawa Japan 8 Local Antennas (UHF/L/S/C/X) AFSCN Connectivity AFSCN Indirect Connectivity Remote Sites (FL, CA, JA) 4

BP HAS DIVERSE MISSION & SPONSORS Current Missions Program # SC Orbit Milestone Date Milestone Sponsor Project 7 10 LEO Operations OSD Project 8 2 LEO 1 st Qtr FY10 Operations OSD Upper Stage 1 GEO Operations DARPA/NRL Space Quest 2 LEO 4 th Qtr FY09 Operations NRL STPSat 1 LEO Operations NRL CubeSat CP-6 1 LEO 4 th Qtr FY09 Operations NRL Planned Missions Program # SC Milestone Date Milestone Sponsor CubeSat 2 LEO 1 st Qtr FY10 Delivery Tower 1 NFIRE 1 LEO 1 st Qtr FY10 Operations Air Force/DOD TacSat-4 1 HEO 2 nd Qtr FY10 Launch ORS CubeSat Space Weather 4 LEO 1 st Qtr FY11 Launch Tower 1 Aquila 1 LEO 4 th Qtr FY10 Launch Tower 1 JMAPS 1 HEO 2 nd Qtr FY12 Launch ONR GLADIS 6 LEO 3 rd Qtr FY11 Launch ONI CubeSat Follow-On 4 LEO 1 st Qtr FY11 Launch Tower 1 Potential Future Missions Program # SC Milestone Date Milestone Sponsor CubeSat Colony 2 20+ LEO/HEO 4 th Qtr FY11 Launch Tower 1 Advanced Payload Program 1/year LEO 1 st Qtr FY12 Launch Tower 1 SARSat 1 LEO 2 nd Qtr FY12 Launch ORS 5

WHAT IS AGO? Replaces ALL Operators In operation for 24 months at ADF-C & BP Over 140,000 contacts supported automatically Automated Schedule Generation & Deconfliction Automated Ground Resource Allocation & Monitoring Automated Spacecraft Monitoring & Contact Plan Execution Automated Personnel Notification 6

AGO HISTORY In 2006, BP was directed to develop a fully automated system High risk program Maximize cost savings Prove it can be done AFSCN incorporated automated pre-pass procedures to support this effort Since then it has been adapted to more than 15 satellites at BP 7

SCHEDULING & DECONFLICTION 8

RESOURCE ALLOCATION Hardware Architecture supports dynamic component allocation (no fixed hardware strings) Inference Engine deconflicts and matches highest priority, functioning equipment to a contact Future allocations predicted (look ahead) Ground telemetry stream created from hardware status Decommutated Alarm & Limit checking Derived processing 9

DYNAMIC HARDWARE CONTROL Matrices allow automated changes Real-time status collected from all hardware Real-time reconfiguration Failed components removed from future consideration Allows for partial solutions 10

SPACECRAFT MONITORING & CONTACT PLAN EXECUTION 11

CONTACT PLAN EXECUTION Plan Execution Execute Tasks Monitor command windows Single contact control

CONTACT MONITORING Monitors system for proper: Configuration Pre-pass Resource allocation Setup Configure hardware & software Telemetry - % collected vs. % expected Commanding - % successful vs. % attempted Plan execution - tasks completed vs. total tasks at (t 1 et + t 2 et t n et) > (x)% Shutdown Deconfigure hardware & software Post-pass Data processing & dissemination 13

SPACECRAFT MONITORING Derived status equations: Logical Mathematical Mission rules & constraints Database defined logic determines satellite & subsystem health 14

CONTINUOUS MONITORS Software 3 types of software monitored Constant Always running Transient Comes up & down with each contact Cron Table Hardware Interrogated at least every 20 seconds Ack/Nack response & configuration validation Daemons monitor CPU s, disks, memory, etc. Derived Hierarchy Trees Proper execution = Event Non-Critical component failures = Warning Critical component failures = ERROR 15

AGO EXECUTION & MODES System sets up as if operators were present Operator workstations are configured Control Automation disabled by single click Level of automation selectable by individual spacecraft & ground system Individual contact instance Modes Monitor Potential actions reported, not executed Assist Operator prompted before for concurrence Auto action executed automatically 16

EXAMPLE PERSONNEL NOTIFICATION MATRIX Category Spacecraft Hardware Software Contact Severity Event Warning Error Email Text Pop Email Text Pop Email Text Pop Email Text Pop Blackberry email Work email Office Computer (BP local) Currently 50 people receiving personalized notifications 17

FAILSAFE MONITORING 18

OBSERVATIONS Reduced Costs No recurring costs for 4 shifts of operators Decrease in overall system errors Resolves human related problems Every task executed on time, every time No improvising No Human Error Lacks human related ingenuity Can t adapt dynamically Every task executed on time, every time 19

BACKUP SLIDES 20

LIGHTS OUT GUI Unplanned Contact Satellites & Ground Stations Real-time Planned Contact Spacecraft Roll-up Status Satellites & Mode Continuous Monitors Batch Jobs 21

LIGHTS OUT EXECUTIVE LO is designed to: Do what the operator would do NOT do anything unauthorized AGO executes files written by Spacecraft & Ground System Engineers Detects errors and Initiates files to take corrective action Files send whatever commands are necessary including safing the vehicle Notify engineers of the status Each mode is selectable by individual spacecraft and ground system Scoring for Hardware, Software, Contact, Spacecraft Selectable Automatic notification via text message, email, and/or pop-up 22

NEXT STEPS AFSCN automation required for non-nxx systems 22 SOPS on board Test plan development is progress Testing will start this 1 st Quarter FY10 Real-time status to AFSCN More sophisticated scheduling algorithms Dynamic scheduling modifications Priority adjustments 23

LIGHTS OUT GUI HISTORY 24

SCHEDULING & DECONFLICTION Contact schedule after deconfliction 25

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Resource Allocations planned by Inference Engine Optimally Satisfied Satisfied Partially Satisfied Unsatisfied 26

COMMON GROUND ARCHITECTURE Ground architecture provides backbone for Command and Control System Augmented by other COTS products Ground specific component Mission unique component Ground architecture provides infrastructure and Services supporting Distributed, Scalable Command and Control environment Automated execution and resource control Telemetry and Commanding Recording Services Ground software supports Development, Integration and Test, and Flight Ops with common processes Databases Execution Files (scripts) Error Detection and Correction Displays 27

CGA SOFTWARE LAYERS Automated Ground Operations 28

BP REMOTE SITE CONNECTIVITY POGO OAFS PIKE SAFB Nxxx BOSS LION Japan COOK HULA San Diego BP Melbourne GUAM REEF 29

BP OVERVIEW BP Mission Metrics 22 R&D Missions 88 satellites and 35 launches Over 186 overhead and remote contacts per day Local RF Assets 8 antennas, C/L/S/X/UHF SGLS, USB US Government Customers Westfields, NRL, ORS, DARPA, DOD, NOAA BP is a certified SOC on the AFSCN network Direct and indirect connectivity to Supports missions in LEO, HEO, GEO, and Lunar orbits 30

BP LOCATION For Official Use Only 031120BP_STF.3 For Official Use Only 31

HARDWARE COMPONENT MONITOR 32

COMPUTER MONITORING 33

SOFTWARE MONITORING Nodes Roll-up Status 34

TASK MONITORING 35

CRIT_HEALTH MONITORING 36

FUNCTIONAL VERIFICATION 37

TASK EXECUTION Potential Tasks Planned Tasks Configuration Parameters Command Windows Operator Override

TASK EXECUTION STATUS 39

H/W, S/W Status Contact Status Double Click Significant Events Contact Details 40

CONTACT HIERARCHY ERROR EX. Error Events Error Event Details 41

CONTACT EXECUTION 42

BP SUPPORTED SATELLITES 43

SATELLITE ORBITS 44