Transcript NASA/GSFC’s Wallops Flight Facility Facility Overview John H. Campbell Director Wallops Flight Facility On the Coast! You are here!

NASA/GSFC’s
Wallops Flight
Facility
Facility Overview
John H. Campbell
Director Wallops Flight Facility
On the Coast!
You are
here!
Wallops History
•Established by National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics (NACA) in 1945 under Langley as a flight test
site for aerodynamic research
•1945-1958:
•1958-1974:
•1974-1981:
•1981:
Pilotless Aircraft Research Station
Wallops Station
Wallops Flight Center (independent)
Wallops Flight Facility (under GSFC)
•Over 16,000 launches conducted during 60 year history
•Wallops mission has evolved to include:
•Flight program management
•Technology development
•Scientific research
The Wallops Mission
Vision
Wallops Flight Facility will be a national resource for enabling low-cost
aerospace-based science and technology research
Mission
•Enable scientific research
•Development/deployment of suborbital & small orbital carriers
•Earth science research
•Mission services
•Enable frequent, safe, and low-cost access to space
•Advanced technology development,
•Testing & operational support
•Facilitation of the commercial launch industry
•Provide science and technology educational opportunities, and
pursue innovative partnerships with academia, other government
agencies, and industry
Wallops Flight Facility
Three Land Areas
•Wallops Main Base
6000 Acres
1900 Acres
•Administrative & Technical Offices
•Tracking & Data Acquisition
•Range Control Center
•Ordnance Storage/Processing
•R&D, Processing Facilities
•Research Airport
•Navy Administration/Housing
•Coast Guard Housing
•Wallops Island
3000 Acres
•Launch Sites
•Blockhouses
•Radar
•Processing Facilities
•Dynamic Spin Balance
•Navy Operational Facilities
•Wallops Mainland
100 Acres
•Tracking & Data Acquisition
•Marshland
1000 Acres
Wallops Main Base
Wallops Island
Other Wallops Organizations
Navy/Surface Combat Systems Center
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
Naval Air Warfare Center
(Patuxent River)
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
U. S. Coast Guard
Marine Science Consortium
Wallops Workforce
NASA, Navy, NOAA
NASA Workforce
Total=1174
260
Civil Service
Contractors
Wallops Employment
Total=1777
914
NASA
Navy
NOAA
98
515
1174
NASA/Wallops Research Carriers
Sounding Rockets
•20-35 missions per year
•Science/technology experiments
•World-wide launch locations
•Spacecraft built & tested in-house
Scientific Aircraft
•Atmospheric science research
•Flying laboratories
•In-house aircraft mods.
•Worldwide mission support
Scientific Balloons •
•20-35 missions per year
•Worldwide mission support
•Technology plans include 100+
day missions & trajectory control
Unpiloted Aerial Vehicles
•Earth science research
•Brokering services
•New technology developments
Small Orbital Payload Carriers
•Description:
•Development of small orbital payload carriers to support
NASA science, technology, & educational payloads
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•Previous Programs:
•Shuttle Small Payloads (Get-Away Special, Hitchiker)
•UNEX/UnEss (e.g., CHIPS)
•Current Initiative:
•Low-cost, multiple payload ejector (MPE), compatible with a
range of small payload designs
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•Designed for use with NASA/DARPA Falcon-class ELVs
•Proto-flight unit to be completed by Fall 2006
•1st flight expected in 2008
Multi-Payload Ejector (MPE)
Multi-Payload Ejector (MPE)
•Offers opportunity for responsive, low-cost small
science, technology, and educational satellites
•Supported payload classes
•Primary (1):
Up to 400 lbs.
•Secondary (up to 6): ~100 lbs. each
•Tertiary (up to 12):~2 lbs. each (“Cubesats”)
•Design characteristics:
•Low-recurring cost (<$1.5M)
•Producible in <6 months
•Modular design with very limited mission-unique
engineering
•In-house design/development by NASA & contractor
team
Wallops Launch Range
Missions
•Suborbital & orbital science rockets
•Launch vehicle R&D testing
•Educational flight projects
•Targets & training
Hybrid Rocket
Test Flight
•Supports
•NASA
•DoD
•Commercial launch industry
•Full suite of support services
Vandal Target
•Launchers
•Processing facilities & logistics
•Range safety
•Tracking & data services
•Focus on R&D missions
•Dynamic science events
•Developmental vehicles
Talos Aries
Pegasus ELV
Wallops Launch Sites
Pad 0A
Pad 0B
Pad 1
Pad 2
Pad 3A
Pad 3B
Pad 4
Pad 5
“Conestoga” Launch Complex (MARS)
Universal ELV Launch Complex (MARS)
50K “Starbird” rail launcher
20K ARC rail launcher
7.5K MRL rail launcher
Scout launcher (Inactive)
Navy Talos Launcher (Vandal/Coyote)
Navy BQM Target launch site
Inactive Pad
20K AML Launcher
20K ARC
Rail Launcher
50K Rail Launcher
MARS “Conestoga” Launch
Complex
MARS Universal Launch
Complex
Wallops Research Airport
•Primary Missions:
Water Ingestion
Testing
•Aircraft & airport research
•Basing for WFF Earth Science &
transient research aircraft
•Support to WFF Launch Range
•Runways
04/22: 8750’ x 150’
10/28: 8000’ x 200’
17/35: 4820’ x 150’
+ Island UAV Runway
•Research Examples
Aircraft Noise
Testing
•UAV operations
•Aircraft & airport safety testing
•Aircraft noise measurement
•Landing system instrumentation
demonstration
•Features
Wake Vortex Studies
•Low-traffic
•Restricted airspace
•Coastal location
Wallops Range Instrumentation
WFF Telemetry & Orbital Tracking Station
FPQ-6 Radar
•Telemetry
•Radar
•UHF transmitters
•Real-time computer data display
systems
•Film/video tracking
•Radio, intercom, and voice circuits
•Weather measurement & forecasting
Transmitter Site
Camera Station
Wallops Mobile Range
Puerto Rico
Campaign
•Provides independent suborbital & orbital
mission support at remote sites worldwide
•Typical missions
•Sounding rocket science campaigns
•WFF ELV downrange support
•Mobile ELV and X-vehicle missions
•Recent Campaigns
Kodiak Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Puerto
Rico, Greenland, Kwajalein, Canary Islands
Greenland
Launcher
Mobile
Instrumentation
Kodiak Star
Launch
Earth Science Research
•Research activities include:
•Atmospheric chemistry
•Beach erosion
•Arctic ice mapping
•Hurricanes
•Satellite Altimetry
•Biological modeling
•Coastal Zone Research
Antarctic & Greenland
Ice Mapping
•Remote & in-situ instruments
flown on aircraft, balloons, &
rockets
Coastal Zone
Research
•Worldwide data measurements
•Cal/Val instrument support
Laser & Radar
Altimetry
Wallops
“Wave Tank”
•Laboratories include:
•Air-Sea Interaction Facility
•Rain-Sea Interaction Facility
Education Flight Projects
• “Hands-on” opportunities for students of
all ages to develop & fly experiments
• NASA flight projects leveraged to create
low-cost flight projects
• Carriers include Rockets, Balloons, Aircraft
& UAVs
• “Piggy-back” often available
• Students participate in
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Experiment development
Carrier integration
Safety verification
Mission operations
Post-mission analysis
• On-site student integration/lab facilities
• Nationwide, real-time participation through
Internet (e.g., web-casting) & the Student
Ground Network
Space Grant Consortium & Wallops
• Virginia
• 2 Members of VSGC Advisory Council
• Sounding Rocket Programs
• VGSC-Wallops MOU
• Collaborative access to each other’s personnel and
facilities
• Cooperation between staff: extended visits at each
other’s institutions
• Maryland
• MOU under negotiation
SUBORBITAL AND SPECIAL ORBITAL PROJECTS DIRECTORATE
Overview of the NASA Balloon
Program Office (BPO) and Potential
Student Opportunities
Dr. Magdi Said
Phone: (757) 824-1386
Fax: (757) 824-2149
[email protected]
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional Space Grant Meeting
Charlottesville, Virginia
September 13-15, 2006
NASA’s Scientific Balloons – Physical Dimensions & Size Comparison
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
NASA’s Balloon Program
The Balloon Program provides low cost, high
altitude platforms to facilitate scientific exploration
Largest balloon flown by NASA
59.6 MCF (1.7M m3)
Highest altitude achieved by a NASA
Balloon
160 k ft (4900 km)
Normal float altitude
110-130k ft (33.5-39.6 km).
Average number flown per year
20 balloons
Average duration (ZP)
12-36 hours
Longest Duration for ZP balloon (LDB)
42 days (Antarctica Dec/Jan 04)
Payload capacity
Up to 8000 Lbs. (3600 kg)
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Balloon Launch ….
L
a
u
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c
h
V
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d
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Balloon operations are
o conducted under a NASA Contract by
the Physical Science Laboratory of New Mexico State University located at the
NASA Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF) in Palestine, TX.
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Balloon Launch Sites Around the World
With International Overflight Approval,
Northern Hemisphere 21+ Day
Flights Could Be Achieved
BLAST Sweden To Canada
Trajectory, June 12 to 16th, 2005
CREAM 41.9 Day 3-Circumpolar
Trajectory Over Antarctica
Dec 04 – Jan 05
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Typical Science Payloads …..
CREAM - Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass
•Particle Astrophysics
•NASA LDB Fight Duration Record Of
Over 41 Days
•Dec 16, 2004 – Jan 27, 2005
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
BESS – Balloon Experiment with
Superconducting Spectrometer
Particle Astrophysics
Flown Over Antarctica
Dec 13, 2004 – Dec 21, 2004
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Outreach Support and Student Opportunities
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The Balloon Program offers opportunities for students
of all ages to access space
 Students learn to prepare space qualified payloads
 Students gain experience in space related technologies
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Specific Advantages for Students…
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Short project development cycle term
(adequate for academic environment)
Provide hands on experience during all
phases of a mission.
Payload almost always recoverable
allowing for iterative learning
Affordable
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Student Experiment Module on Balloon
(SEM-B)
What is it ?
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Is an educational program that provides students opportunity to
access space
Open to students of all ages
Based on a suitcase-like carrier with fixed dimensions
SEM-B Suitcase
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Suitcase in flight configuration
and ready for integration
SEM-B Facts ….
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First suitcase flew in May 2004, last one in August 2006
(Total 13 cases)
Thirty States participated in SEM-B opportunities
Students from K-College participated in the SEM-B
activities
Students covered wide range of science disciplines
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Status of the SEM-B Activities as of September 06’
Alaska
1
Maine
Vermont
Washington
Montana
2
Minnesota
Idaho
1
Wyoming
New York
Wisconsin
1
Oregon
1 1
Illinois
2 2
Nevada
Ohio
Indiana
Kansas
Virginia
3 2
Kentucky
Missouri
1
Hawaii
Arizona
New
Mexico
1
States Utilized SEM-B (30)
States have Not Utilized SEM-B (20+DC)
1 Elementary School (13)
Oklahoma
1
1 High School (25)
Regional
(SchoolGrant
District,Meeting
Organization, Home School) (24)
1 Other
Space
Alabama
1
Mississippi
Texas
Louisiana
1
North
Carolina
South
Carolina
Arkansas
1
2
1 Middle School (25)
(3)
1 College/University
NASA Mid-Atlantic
1 2
Tennessee
1
Georgia
1
Massachusetts
Rhode Island
Connecticut
1 2 1
New
Jersey
Delaware
Maryland
2
Colorado
1 1
2
West
Virginia
3
3
Utah
California
1 1
Pennsylvania
6 6 7 1 10
Iowa
2 2
4 1 3
1 3 2 2
Michigan
South
Dakota
Nebraska
1
New
Hampshire
1
North
Dakota
3
Florida
Washington DC
High Altitude Student Platform (HASP)
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Is a collaboration between BPO and LSU
providing student teams the opportunity to
develop and operate an inexpensive platform
that can be used to build and flight-test small
payloads on a dedicated balloon platform.
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Support & flight test up to 12 student built
payloads.
 Eight small payloads < 1 kg & four large
payloads < 10 kg
 Fly to an altitude > 36 km for a duration of
~20 hours
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Cosmo-Cam Interactive video imaging system is
used throughout the flight.
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
HASP Experiments for FY06
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First HASP payload contained 7 student payloads from 4 institutions
as follows:
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University of Alabama – Huntsville: Infrared telescopes to
remotely study the thermal characteristics of the balloon
envelope (3 small)
Texas A & M University: Video camera system to study remote
sensing from high altitude (1 small)
University of Louisiana – Lafayette: Nuclear emulsion stack to
investigate high energy cosmic rays (1 large)
Louisiana State University (Mechanical Eng.): Study the flow
characteristics of various rocket nozzles as a function of altitude
(1 large)
Louisiana State University (Physics): Prototype of an
accelerometer based inertial navigation system (1 small)
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
HASP First Flight ….
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First flight was launched from Ft. Sumner, NM on
September 4, 2006 aboard an 11.82 MCF balloon.
Payload weight was 1000 LBS
Float altitude was 122 KFT
Total flight time was 18 HRS., 11 MIN.
The flight was an operations and science success. It
exceeded all preflight minimum requirements.
The Call for Payload for FY07 has been released,
available on HASP website.
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
SEM-B & Other Student Opportunities
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Passive SEM-B*: self contained, no external interactions (e.g.
seeds, personal products ..etc.)
Semi-active SEM-B*: allows limited support by operations
personnel prior to and/or after recovery (e.g. turning
switches on/off, activating or deactivating certain devices …
etc.)
Active SEM-B*: will require compatibility checks with the
science payload and may require power and communication
support from the balloon instrumentation
Non-SEM-B piggy back configuration – requires integration
and coordination with the BPO, CSBF and PI (Scientist).
Cost sharing missions: Example - HASP (LSU)
* Requires coordination with and approval of the Scientist (PI)
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Testimonies ……
Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic
Objectives
“The NASA Balloon Program was critical to my development as
a scientist, both in graduate school and as a junior faculty member
at Caltech. I can't imagine a better scientific training for
experimental space science than the experience of building and
launching a science payload on a balloon. You directly experience
all the important steps: design to cost, schedule, weight, and
power constraints; quality control and risk management; field
operations; and reduction and analysis of data.
The impact of the NASA Balloon Program goes far beyond the
demonstration of technology and the direct science data that are
produced - the scientists who ‘cut their teeth’ in the NASA
Balloon Program are very often the leaders of today's NASA
space science missions and programs.”
Thomas A. Prince
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
Caltech Prof. of Physics
JPL Chief Scientist
LISA Mission Scientist
Ballooning Contributions to NASA Strategic
Objectives
“In my career as a scientist, astronaut, and as NASA's Chief
Scientist, I often reflect back on the strength of the foundation
upon which I was trained. As an undergraduate and as a
graduate student I had the great fortune to perform experiments
in high-energy astrophysics using high altitude balloons as a
platform for access to space. The NASA scientific ballooning
program provided me with the complete and quintessential
scientific experience, going from concept to hardware,
observations, and scientific analysis of the results. All in the
time frame of a few years. The rich environment that NASA's
sub-orbital program supports not only enables top quality
science, but is also crucial as a training ground for the
scientists who will be the principal investigators of
tomorrow.”
John M. Grunsfeld
Astronaut (NASA ExChief Scientist)
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
How to Contact NASA’s BPO ?
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Address: Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA 23337 (Attention: Code 820)
BPO Chief/Mr. David Pierce (757) 824-1453
BPO Assistant Chief/Mr. David Gregory (757) 824-2367
BPO Technologist/Outreach/ Dr. Magdi Said (757) 824-1386
BPO Secretary/Ms. Rebecca Gramlich (757) 824-1480
Office Fax Number (757) 824-2149
BPO Website: www.wff.nasa.gov/balloons
For More info on HASP Contact:
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Professors T.G. Guzik and J.P. Wefel
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA U.S.A.
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(http://laspace.lsu.edu/hasp/)
NASA Mid-Atlantic Regional
Space Grant Meeting
University Space Flight
Opportunity Concept
NASA Sounding Rocket Program
Philip Eberspeaker
September 14, 2006
Anatomy of a Sounding Rocket
Scientific payload and NASA
subsystems (4’ to 15’ long)
Commercial rocket motors – some
configurations may consist entirely of
surplus rocket motors.
Surplus rocket motors – NASA builds
hardware to adapt systems for civilian use.
Sounding Rocket Vehicles
Wallops Flight Facility provides a stable of 13
vehicles. This variety allows the program to tailor the
vehicle performance to the scientific requirements.
Key Considerations
• Cost to NASA must be
minimized
• NASA work effort needs to be
kept to a minimum
• Cost of launch operations must
be minimized
• The Sounding Rocket Program
needs to realize some benefit
from the investment
Potential Approach
• Surplus launch vehicle
– Terrier-Orion most likely candidate
• Standardized payload configuration
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Reusable
Set power, telemetry, and timing support
Set experiment volume
4 experiments per flight
Base-line payload exists (SubSEM)
• Launch from Wallops Flight Facility
• Proposed flight experiments should support
sounding rocket program technology needs
Sub-orbital Student Experiment
Module (SubSEM)
Vehicle Stack
Water recovery operations
Terrier-Orion on the
Launch Pad
Lift-off
SubSEM payload after recovery
Experiment Configuration
Experiment Bay - Four
Experiments
Sample Experiment
Proposed Experiment Support
Services
• 16 Analog Telemetry Data Channels
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Standard interface connector
0-5 VDC signals (current configuration)
Data Rate: Up to 20,000 words per second
Digital channels could be considered
• 4 Timer Functions
– Standard interface connector
– Capable on/off cycling
• 12VDC (or 28VDC) Power Supply
– Current limited to protect other experiments
Potential Experiment Topics
• Component test flights
– Battery technologies
– New GPS receivers
– Sensors
• Development of new techniques
– Deployment mechanisms
– Attitude determination
– Ethernet communications (internal)
• Vibration, acoustics and flight loads research
Alternate Approach
• Small piggy-back module on science
missions
• No control over location and schedule
• Weight must be minimized
• Fully autonomous system is required
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Power
Data recording (no RF down link)
Turn on at lift-off
No pre-launch experiment control
Contacts
Suggestions and implementation concerns can be communicated to:
Philip Eberspeaker
757-824-2202
[email protected]