INTEGRATION AND TEST FOR MULTI-SPACECRAFT MISSIONS

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Michael Wright(1), Dr. Manfred Bester(2) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA, (+1)301.286.5331, michael.r.wright@nasa.gov (2) University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA, (+1)510-643-1014, mbester@berkeley.edu

Keywords: Integration, Test, Operations, Multi-Spacecraft, Constellation ABSTRACT A presentation is proposed to address integration and test (I&T) of multiplespacecraft or "constellation" missions. Such projects pose unique challenges for I&T, when multiple spacecraft are integrated, tested, and otherwise processed in parallel. Some challenges such as maintaining common configuration, personnel and facilities support for parallel operations, and inter-spacecraft testing will be discussed. Typically, the same team is tasked with implementing the I&T program, utilizing limited resources on a usually tight schedule. Both NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and University of California (UC) Berkeley have conducted multi-mission operations of spacecraft for more than a decade. The proposed presentation will feature Michael Wright of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), who has served as I&T Manager and I&T lead engineer for over a dozen spaceflight missions; and Dr. Manfred Bester of UC Berkeley, who was the THEMIS Mission Operations Manager and is now serving in that capacity for NuSTAR. NASA multi-spacecraft projects to be covered include such projects as ST-5, STEREO, and MMS; UC Berkeley projects include THEMIS/ARTEMIS and NuSTAR. Of course, I&T lessons learned will be part of the presentation. An interactive questions-and-answers session with the audience will follow. Specific topics to be addressed include: I&T planning and coordination Inter-spacecraft testing Personnel resources and challenges Facilities utilization and coordination Configuration control and management Scheduling/phasing of multi-spacecraft I&T Ground systems and support equipment The proposed presentation would be ideal for at least two of the topics planned to be covered at the conference: "Lessons Learned from Current or Past Missions" and "Testing and Launch Preparations."