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Risk mitigation for a flight test program to transition an on-orbit operational satellite to a multi-mission ground system architecture

Michael V. Nayak, Space Development and Test Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, United States

Abstract

In the satellite operations world, the critical concern is ‘health and safety of the vehicle’. The limitations of launching into space include no allowance for maintenance or quick repairs, and even the smallest of actions must be weighed against the risk of losing the multi-million dollar mission. This paper focuses on the testing challenges and risk approach adopted towards the design, implementation, testing, checkout and methodology for opera-tional transition of Tactical Satellite-3’s (TacSat-3) ground system architecture (GSA).

The objective was to move TacSat-3 away from its legacy GSA to a Multi-Mission Satellite Operations Center (MMSOC) GSA, while the satellite was already on-orbit and had been op-erating on its legacy GSA for over two years, under an abbreviated time schedule and price tag. Mission classification did not allow developers access to satellite telemetry to test against. Another complication was the other operational missions being flown on MMSOC; risks of all live flight tests had to be mitigated against impact to those missions as well.

At first glance, cost, schedule and operational limitations threatened the very design of the test program. Considering all these factors, phased objectives were developed for ensuring the maturation of the developed GSA, and the testing approach adopted in association with each of these are discussed. A flexible, agile development methodology allowed the spacecraft operators to detect issues early, and an iterative approach to delivering software capability incorporated these into rolling fixes, keeping the cost and development schedule on track.

The driving reasons behind undertaking such a large, potentially risky action as a ground sys-tem transition for an on-orbit satellite are discussed, as well as the complications of conduct-ing flight testing with the MMSOC GSA, while in development, on a satellite engaged in an Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) operational mission. Development of the test plan for the final step of transition – proving the capability of the new GSA on the operations floor, while being constrained by minimizing risk to the ongoing mission – is covered in detail. Transitioning AFSPC missions away from obsolete legacy GSA is an ongoing effort, and fu-ture applicability to other missions is outlined.

Date: 
Wed, 2012-06-13