News

A system engineering and acquisition approach for software resiliency

Software intensive space satellite systems have vulnerabilities which our adversaries can exploit and may also be susceptible to insider threat.  From a system perspective, one must also consider the resiliency and security of the system architecture, software, hardware, and other components throughout the system life cycle.  Robust software engineering practices contribute to the foundation of a resilient…

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Commercial Space Transportation and Air Traffic Insertion

Commercial Space Transportation becomes an international business and requires landing opportunities all over the world. Hence the integration of space vehicles in other airspace than the US NAS is an important topic to be considered. The Single European Sky ATM Research Programme (SESAR) is preparing the implementation of a new ATM system in Europe. The…

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Design Progress and Flight Results for the Autonomous Mobile On-orbit Diagnostic System (AMODS)

The United States Naval Academy is developing an Autonomous Mobile On-orbit Diagnostic System (AMODS) to provide all-purpose distributable on-orbit assessment and repair capabilities. To overcome traditional cost and technological hurdles, AMODS comprises a multiple CubeSat arrangement wherein one self-propelled transport CubeSat (BRICSat) will deliver one of several “repair” CubeSats (RSats) with manipulable arms to spacecraft…

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Developing an Adaptive OPIR Exploitation Framework

The OPIR community is face-to-face with the challenge of supporting a rapidly changing Battlespace Awareness (BA) mission landscape.  Increasing data accuracy and timely data feeds are providing critical real-time information and as a result, exploiting OPIR-based sensor data have become even more critical to the warfighter.  While steeped in the missile warning culture that demands perfection, the…

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Developing and Distributing a CubeSat Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Reference Model – Status

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is a key practice to advance the systems engineering discipline, and the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) has established the MBSE Initiative to promote, advance, and institutionalize the practice of MBSE. As part of this effort, the INCOSE Space Systems Working Group (SSWG) Challenge Team has been investigating the applicability…

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Enterprise Ground Transformation at NESDIS

The National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) acquires, operates, and sustains geosynchronous and polar weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These platforms provide key observations for the National Weather Service and a variety of other US users and international partners.  Recently NESDIS began activities to transform its ground enterprise from the…

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Precision Commercial of the Shelf (COTS) Quartz Oscillators for Space Applications

Space missions are evolving and now span a wide range of orbits and mission lifetimes that require different levels of mitigation for radiation.  Some missions now leverage commercial electronics that allow for state of the art performance at costs appropriate for the programs.  Microsemi continues to provide timing for applications such as GPS and SBIRS that require…

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Technical Reference Suite Addressing Challenges in Providing Assurance for Fault Management Architectural Design

Research into complexities of satellite systems Fault Management (FM) and how architectural design decisions affect safety, preservation of assets, and maintenance of desired system functionality has coalesced into a technical reference (TR) suite that advances the provision of safety and mission assurance. The NASA Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Program, with Software Assurance Research Program…

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