Overview
NASA's communication and navigation capability is based on the premise that communications shall enable and not constrain missions. Advancement in communication and navigation technology will allow future missions to implement new and more capable science instruments, greatly enhance human missions beyond Earth orbit, and enable entirely new mission concepts. Today our communication and navigation capabilities, using Radio Frequency technology, can support our spacecraft to the fringes of the solar system and beyond. As we move into the future, we are challenged to increase current data rates- 300 Mbps in LEO to about 6 Mbps at Mars- to support the anticipated numerous missions for space science, Earth science and exploration of the universe.
The SCaN project portfolio at GRC is currently comprised of the following technology development efforts:
Antenna Technology - The focus of this effort is on Ka-band transmit
antenna arraying. The adaptive beamforming technique will be
equally applicable to the Deep Space Network (DSN) and to the
Space... More information...
Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) - The Disruption Tolerant Networking
(DTN) program establishes a long-term, readily accessible communications
test-bed onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Two
Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), CGBA-5 and
CGBA-4, will serve as communications test... More
information...
Integrated RF and Optical Communications (iROC) - Given the strong and continued momentum of development in
the RF domain, what can be done from an integration standpoint
to optically enhance the performance of a deep-space... More
information...
Ka-Band Atmosphere - Statistical characterization of the diurnal,
annual and secular path length fluctuations at candidate sites
for future distributed ground based antenna systems operating
at Ka-Band applicable to all three of NASA’s current space
communication ground... More information...
Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) - NASA’s Space Communication
and Navigation (SCaN) Office has developed an architecture
standard for SDRs used in space and ground-based platforms
to provide commonality among radio developments to provide
enhanced... More information...
New technology ideas are always welcome. Areas of interest include optical communications, RF including antennas and ground based Earth stations, surface networks, cognitive networks, access links, reprogrammable communications systems, advanced antenna technology, transmit array concepts, and communications in support of launch services are very important to the future of exploration and science activities of the Agency. Additionally, innovative, relevant research in the areas of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) are desirable. NASA's Space Communication and Navigation (SCaN) Office considers the three elements of PNT to represent distinct, constituent capabilities:
- Positioning, by which we mean accurate and precise determination of an asset's location and orientation referenced to a coordinate system.
- Navigation, by which we mean determining an asset's current and/or desired absolute or relative position and velocity state, and applying corrections to course, orientation, and velocity to attain achieve the desired state.
- Timing, by which we mean an assets acquiring from a standard, maintaining within user-defined parameters, and transferring where required, an accurate and precise representation of time, minimize the impact of latency on overall system performance.
Emphasis is placed on size, weight and power improvements. All technologies developed are to be aligned with the Architecture Definition Document and technical direction as established by the NASA SCaN Office. Additional information is available at:
http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/scan/
For more information, please contact:
James Stegeman, GRC SCaN Technology Manager
Stegeman@nasa.gov
216.433.3389
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