Leveraging the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) Calibration Standard For Next Generation Defense Weather Missions
Weather poses significant economic, safety, and national security challenges to our military and civilian populations. As such, the US Airforce has commissioned Ball Aerospace to build the Next-generation defense weather satellite system. This system will require accurate measurements of top-of-atmosphere brightness temperatures to determine ocean surface vector winds, tropical cyclone intensity, and other environmental products…
Satellite Servicing – the key to a new operating paradigm in orbit
A robotics enabled spacecraft for servicing satellites is being prepared for permanent residence in GEO in 2021. Outfitted with agile maneuvering for safe rendezvous with operating or tumbling assets, a vast reserve of propellant to run many service calls anywhere near GEO, and a suite of next generation dexterous robotics, a versatile robotic servicing spacecraft…
Satellite Based ADS-B for Commercial Space Flight Operations
The steadily increasing air traffic and commercial space traffic in particular on transcontinental routes or suborbital operations requires extending controlled airspace to those regions not yet covered by ground based surveillance. An ADS-B system with a strong focus on space-based ADS-B can provide global and continuous air and space surveillance to enhance the operation of…
NASA’s Dragonfly Program: Commercialized Robotics – Enabling a New Generation of Evolvable, Resilient Assets in Orbit
Commercialized, affordable robotics for in space assembly of large platforms and structures are being prepared for flight in 2021. Integrating easily with standard GEO and LEO satellite command and control architectures, these automation systems enable a new operating paradigm for on-orbit assets – one that includes incremental growth, on demand payload refresh to match user…