Title: P1246341517DIzZm
1 Telescience and Space Missions Operations at the
Belgian User Support and Operation Centre J.
Vanhaverbeke1, R. Coszach1, E. Haumont1, D.
Moreau1, C. Muller1, X. Stockman1, J.
Wisemberg1, C.Lippens2, C. Noël2, E. Van
Ransbeeck2, R. Vanlaer 3, P.Queeckers4, M.
Lefebvre5, S. Varet5 jeremie.vanhaverbeke_at_busoc.
be 1 Belgian User Support and Operation Centre,
B-USOC, Brussels, Belgium 2 Belgian Institute
for Space Aeronomy, BISA, Brussels, Belgium 3
Department of Metallurgy and Materials
Engineering, MTM, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven,
Belgium 4 Microgravity Research Centre, MRC,
Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels,
Belgium 5 Royal Meteorological Institute, RMI,
Brussels, Belgium
2In this presentation
- 1) B-USOC participation in four international
space missions - 2 Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- NASA STS-107 HitchHiker Mission
- ESA NASA Mission
- Description
- ground segment implemented
- specific role of the B-USOC
- interactions with the partner operation
centres - 2) Lessons learned for the future involvement in
the European - Columbus project on ISS, and the PICARD
project (TBC)
3Introduction
- Assignments of the B-USOC
- promote space research programmes and flight
opportunities, - provide support to scientists in various
research fields - microgravity, earth sciences, space
sciences and - space technology
- Support from Belgium to numerous missions since
1983 - Europe onboard ISS
- decentralized and hierarchical User Centres
concept - responsibility to handle in-flight operations
assigned to - national User Support and Operations
Centres (USOCs)
4Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
5Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
OdISSea Mission presentation This mission to the
International Space Station using a Russian Soyuz
Taxi-flight was performed by Belgium (Federal
Science Policy) with the support of ESA, RKK
Energia, and NASA. This ten days mission was
launched on October 30th 2002 from Baïkonour and
returned on November 10th 2002 in
Kazakhstan. During this Mission an European
Astronaut of Belgian nationality, Frank De Winne,
member of the European Astronaut Corps of ESA
performed a large scientific programme with the
collaboration of the Russian cosmonauts, Sergei
Zalyotin as commander and Yuri Lonchakov as
flight engineer and of the resident Crew, the
Expedition-5 crew Peggy Whitson, Valeri Korzun,
Sergei Treschev.
6Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Experiments Belgian experiments
- Experimental programme composed of 24
experiments - Life science (biology, microbiology,
physiology) - Physical science (Fluid Science - diffusion,
Material Science - crystallization, combustion, 4 Microgravity
Science Glovebox) - Earth Science (ionosphere study)
- Education (physical phenomena in space,
radio-amateur ) - 16 under the responsibility of Belgian Principal
Investigators (PIs) - Belgian industry and B-USOC members offered all
their technological know-how in the design
definition and development of the experimental
hardware and software
7Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
International Ground Segment Operations conducted
in the the Russian and American Modules of ISS,
by an ESA crew International operational
ground segment to link involved centres
across Europe, USA and Russia, using the
Decentralized ESA Interconnection Ground
Subnetwork-Phase1
8Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Belgian Ground Segment
- Three types of communication links used in the
B-USOC operations control room, hosting most of
the Belgian PIs - ESA IGS (ISDN lines) data, voice and video
services - Internet (VPN) web-based services, backup of
IGS data and video - Telephone network backup of IGS voice
- Two Belgian User Home Bases (Université Libre de
Bruxelles and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
universities) remotely followed the mission in
real-time via - Internet scientific data and video
- Telephone network
9Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
OdISSea Ground Segment Infrastructure
10Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
B-USOC Control Room
Console Positions a Support PI for
Experiment 1 (e.g. Experiment leaders and/or
industrial support) b PI for
Experiment 1 c B.USOC Science
Coordinator (supported by B.USOC Science
Support) d PI for Experiment 2
e Support PI for Experiment 2 (e.g.
Experiment leaders and/or industrial
support) f B.USOC Ground
Infrastructure Coordinator g g
B.USOC Operations Coordinators
11Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Belgian Ground Segment
- Data
- B-USOC Ground capability composed of IGS and
Internet connected workstations with all tools - MSG experiments telemetry NASA TReK, PACRATS
and MSG Ground Displays (GD) - ISS telemetry, mission/stage timers, AOS/LOS,
orbit parameters and position
of Soyuz and ISS NASA WATTS, McsBev - Mission planning and procedures ESA CEPP NASA
EHS applications (as PIMS),
MPV,
OSTPV - Telecommanding to one PromISS MSG experiment
NASA TReK and X-windows
interface to MSFC servers - Operation Change Requests (mission timeline,
crew procedures) exchanges between
mission
centres ESA OCMS NASA OCR (in PIMS) - E-mails exchanges between operation consoles
in all Partner Centres - For the scientists acquire and further
process data, install needed applications,
write reports,
access web applications - UHBs Ground capability Internet workstations
NASA TReK, PACRATS, MSG GD, ESA CEPP
12Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Belgian Ground Segment
- Voice
- NASA HVoDS (HOSC-managed Voice Distribution
System) connected - to the ESA IGS network
- two keysets at B-USOC for voice conferencing
- access to Russian Space to Ground voice loop
via Houston -
- Telephone lines
- contacts with UHBs and any involved teams
- backup of the HVoDS system
13Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Belgian Ground Segment
- Video
- Relevant mission Scientific, Educational and
Public Relations video - videoconferencing system linked to ESOC IGS
video matrix (ISDN) - Internet to connect to dedicated ESOC
videostreaming servers - Satellite ground terminal allowing reception
of Eutelsat quality video - Belgian UHBs Internet access to ESOC
videostreaming servers - Videostreaming webcams at B-USOC accessed from
- partner operations centres -
UHBs - scientists _at_ home - - Brussels Planétarium (OdISSea Mission
Centre for the Belgian public)
14Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Operations
- International Coordination
- Specific roles distributed to international
centres involved in the
- overall operations NASA ESA RKK Energia
- MCC-M mission coordination operations,
planning, crew and vehicle safety on RS - MCC-H ISS crew mission operations, ISS
planning, crew and vehicle safety on USOS - MSFC POIC payloads operations on USOS including
MSG experiments - MSFC MSG TSC MSG facility command and control,
support and troubleshooting, MSG experiments
tele-operations - ESTEC TOCC operations coordination of
experiments on RS and USOS, interface - with MCC-M and
MSFC-POIC/-MSG TSC - EAC medical operations and astronaut support
- ESOC services related to the operation of IGS
Phase-1 communication infrastructure
15Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Operations
- BUSOC accommodated
- Science Payload Operations Team (B-USOC
Operation Managers and - Science Coordinators) 6 members
- Main science coordination and operations for
Belgian experimental program - and scientific support to the mission
- Real pro-active role of B-USOC main authority
of Belgian experimental - program for experiments follow-on,
troubleshooting, PromISS MSG commanding - Ground Infrastructure Team (B-USOC Ground
Operations Coordinators and - Belgian SROC Ground Operations/Telescience
members) 5 members - Overall Belgian ground segment coordination
and maintenance - Public Relations Team (B-USOC and Federal
Science Policy members) - Coordination and implementation of PR for
Belgian events
16Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Operations
- Relations with international centres
- Operations performed with very good coordination
and collaboration, particularly between B-USOC
and - MSG TSC excellent and efficient performance in
the recovery of PromISS - (activation problem), COSMIC operations
coordination - MSFC POIC coordination of PromISS
Telecommanding - ESTEC TOCC day-to-day coordination (science,
ground) and operations - ESOC efficient monitoring and fast recovery of
IGS services
17Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Operations
- Organization and functioning
- Voice contacts 1 keyset for OMs, 1 for SCs,
telephone lines for GCs - Console positions roles well performed
- Continuous mission status available (good
communication, console - logs and reports)
- Shift Operations
- Main activity cycle (on-console support 14 to 16
hours/day) driven by - Experimental timeline
- Related crew activity period (defined as Crew
Wake-up 0830 UTC - and Crew Sleep 0000 UTC)
18Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Operations
- Collaboration with scientists
- Most of the scientists and industry
representatives gathered at B-USOC, and excellent
cooperation during interventions - Quasi instantaneous responses during experiment
manipulations - Interactions with partners for procedures
changes - Development of new or recovery procedures
- Analysis of data and video on the spot with
upload of 2 correction tables for - PromISS and GO / NO GO decision for COSMIC
- Planning and requests for scientific video
requirements - Discussion with ESA SCs (for Life and Physical
experiments) - Interfaces with UHBs
- Regular contacts allowed in-depth view of the
various aspects of the experiment status, and of
the resolution of issues
19Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
20Russian Soyuz Taxi-Flights
- Cervantes Mission
- Mission performed by Spain (ESA Astronaut Pedro
Duque) with ESA support (Oct 2003) - Large scientific programme 18 experiments
(with 6 Spanish and 7 Belgian new or - re-flights) in the same research fields as
for OdISSea - Almost the same responsibilities for B-USOC
during the operations - Ground Segment re-use of the formerly
implemented infrastructure - Improvements access to MCC-H mission gateway
(JEDI, STP, EFN) Belgian ULB/MRC UHB has gain
access to IGS mission quality videos forwarded
from B-USOC and to the ESA OCMS system and all
experiments were great successes. - Operational team working at B-USOC involved
people from the Belgian SROC and the Belgian
KULeuven UHB Ground Operations/Telescience teams. - Further opportunity to extend the know-how of the
Belgian operational community, and to demonstrate
its ability to be successfully involved in
real-time operations
21NASA STS-107 HitchHiker Mission
22NASA STS-107 HitchHiker Mission
- SOLCON
- B-USOC hosted the Belgian Remote SOLCON (Solar
Constant) Payload Operation and Control Centre
(POCC) - SOLCON implemented in the context of Fast
Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology
and Research (FREESTAR), total control from
ground - Mission roles and responsibilities shared
between international partners JSC Space Shuttle
Program, GSFC Hitchhiker Project, GSFC Attached
Shuttle Payload Center, Belgian SOLCON POCC - Operational team included the SOLCON PIs, and
ground infrastructure controllers from both SROC
and B-USOC - Ground segment implemented using both IGS and
Internet networks for HVoDS, data reception and
monitoring, commanding, timelines visibility,
Shuttle tracking - SOLCON operation was a very good preparation for
the future SOLAR Monitoring Observatory
(SMO) PICARD Mission Centre (TBC)
23ESA NASA PromISS 3 Mission
PromISS 3
24ESA NASA PromISS 3 Mission
- Experiment evolution
- Digital Holography Interferometric Microscope
used to study the crystallization of
proteins in microgravity conditions for a better
understanding of the fundamental processes
underlying the crystallization process. - PromISS 1 (OdISSea) 10 days mission,
Preliminary results show that the instrument
was strongly affected by vibrations and the
temperature profile of the mission (bad impact
on the quality of the obtained results) - PromISS 2 (Cervantes) upgraded version of
the FM hardware, 6 PromISS experimental cells
successfully analyzed with the optical diagnostic
payload - PromISS 3 re-flight of PromISS 2, but with
an investigation of the experimental cells into
the Digital Holography Microscope during 30 days - Operations
- First long-term ESA NASA collaboration for an
experiment on-board ISS - B-USOC European responsible centre for
operations (science follow-on and routine matters
resolution), with support from NASA MSG TSC, ESA
ESTEC Operation Centre and ESA ESOC Ground
Segment Management Centre
25- Conclusions
- Lessons learned
- OdISSea and Cervantes were first steps in
coordinating ISS Operations with multiple
partners across continents, depending on each
other to reach mission success, with successful
involvement of National User Support Operations
Centres - OdISSea, Cervantes and PromISS 3 offered a
remarkable opportunity for all teams to acquire
understanding of ISS processes, and experience in
using operational infrastructure and tools that
are precursor to those currently under
development to support Columbus payload
operations - The benefit of the participation in Soyuz, STS
and ISS missions for a user site such as B-USOC
is a real scenario to understand the issues in
operating payloads in the ISS environment
considering that all European payloads in US-Lab
will be operated in a similar manner - This may also provide an observation function
for Columbus development and Operations teams
looking for early feedback on ISS and Columbus
tools utilization
26Conclusions Future ISS-COLUMBUS activities
ESA Responsibility Decentralization context
FRCs overall responsibility for a payload
facility (full rack/class-1 payload) FSCs
responsibility for a sub-rack/class-2 payload
(e.g. facility insert, experiment
container, drawer payload, a bioreactor) ESCs
responsibility for single experiments, mainly
focusing on science and experiment
operational matters UHBs investigator's
location at the "home" institutes (typically
national institutions as
universities), who need to obtain the adequate
communication and data processing
infrastructure to make real-time data monitoring
and control of their respective
experiment (e.g. for remote operations)
27Conclusions Future ISS-COLUMBUS activities
28Conclusions Future ISS-COLUMBUS activities
29Conclusions Future ISS-COLUMBUS activities
- USOCs activities
- Increment preparation phase
- Ground segment implementation
- Ground model operations
- Experiment procedure development
- Payload and experiment operations optimization
and calibration - Support to crew training activities
- In-orbit payload operations
- Receive facility and experiment data
- Perform, in support of the Columbus Control
Centre, the operations of the payloads - they are responsible for
30Conclusions Future ISS-COLUMBUS activities
- Experimental context
- The European Columbus module accommodation
capabilities for 10 internal/ pressurized payload
facilities, and up to four external payload
facilities In this general Columbus framework,
B-USOC will assume - The management of the FRC for the external Solar
Monitoring Observatory - SOVIM (Royal Meteorological Institute of
Brussels, Belgium Observatory of DAVOS,
Switzerland), SOLSPEC (CNRS, France) and SOL-ACES
(Fraunhofer Institute, Deutschland) - In collaboration with the ERASMUS (ESTEC USOC)
FRC for European Drawer Rack (EDR), the
management of the FSC for the Protein
Crystallization Diagnostics Facility (PCDF) - The PCDF is a multi-user instrument and is
candidate for accommodation in the first EDR
payload complement.
31Conclusions Future PICARD Microsatellite
activities ?
- As a potential continuation of the ISS Solar
scientific program, the PICARD microsatellite
mission will provide simultaneous measurements of
the solar diameter, differential rotation and
solar constant to investigate the nature of their
relations and variabilities. The PICARD's system
will use most of the basic components of the CNES
microsatellite product line. - The PICARD mission center (CMP) will be located
at the Royal Meteorology Institute of Belgium and
operated by the B-USOC. This center will be
mainly dedicated to the in orbit operations of
the payloads and to the supply of calibrated data
and preliminary scientific results to scientists.