Lifecycle Of An Airborne Science Mission

Lifecycle of an Airborne Science Mission Rick Shetter NSERC

Outline of the Mission Timeline •Conceiving a science investigation •Submitting a request for proposals •Collecting instrument information •Instrument integration and testing •Flight planning •Science flight activity •Reporting of study results •Publication of scientific papers

Mission Timeline 18-36 months prior to mission

•Science investigation is defined by leading scientists •Compose a “White paper” that includes: •Major science questions to be addressed by the mission •How the science fits into NASA’s overall mission •Where will the mission take place •Proposed location and draft flight plans to accomplish the study goals •When does the mission need to take place to be most effective •What instruments are needed to obtain the required data •Measurements are specified and ranked in order of importance •What platforms will be used •Based on performance and suitability •Deployment site survey to assess costs and suitability for mission objectives •Submit a flight request to Airborne Science for the number of flight hours needed •Secure agency funding for the defined mission

Mission Timeline 12-18 months prior to mission Announcement of opportunity in the annual Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES) release. Proposals are then due 3-6 months after the announcement.

9-12 months before mission •Various proposals are submitted to the announcement of opportunity •Instrument teams propose to make airborne and ground based measurements specified in the white paper and announcement •Investigators propose to perform modeling studies to support the science goals of the mission •Scientists propose to lead the mission science team

Mission Timeline 6-9 months before mission •Selection of proposals is made at an expert panel review •Selection is based on relevance, scientific merit, and cost. •Collection of data from instrument teams by platform operators •Instrument requirements •Location and type of Inlet or viewport

Airborne Science Program Payload Information Form  

General Information

1. Principal Investigator & Team Members (if citizenship is not US, please note if they have a green card): Name Organization Citizenship Role Phone Number Fax Number Email Address 2. Payload Information Instrument name and acronym Instrument and/or PI website What does the instrument measure? Aircraft type Mission/Program name

Mission Timeline 6-9 months before mission •Collection of data from instrument teams PIF (continued) •Logistical requirements •Personnel on aircraft •In flight requirements •Deployment site requirements (probe access, cryogens, gases, internet) •Hazards •Lasers •Compressed gases •Chemicals •Radioactive materials •Material Safety Data Sheets for aircraft and ground hazardous materials

Mission Timeline

4-6 months before mission

•Aircraft Payload design •Inlet locations-possible contamination and flow interferences •Instrument location-possible EMI and vibration interferences •Total payload space and weight restrictions

Instrument Loading Floorplan

WAS •

Whole air sampling using gas chromatography

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PI: Don Blake, University of California Irvine

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Re-fly of ARCTAS, TC4, INTEX-NA • •

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Probe: FS970L Racks • FS940L C-130 Rack • FS985L C-130 Rack Power Requirements • 115V, 60Hz: 3450W

Hazards •

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Racks • FS945L • FS995L

SARP Flight Information •

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Probe: FS970L

Senior Flexonics Pump

Documentation Status •

Drawings and stress analysis are current and on file

Mission Timeline 4-6 weeks before mission •Instrument integration on the aircraft •Design, analysis, and fabrication of all mounting hardware •Installation of probes and windows •Installation of instruments

Mission Timeline

Mission Timeline 1 week before mission •Mission Readiness Review

•Presentation of the complete mission plan with deployment site information, overflight clearances, hazard mitigation, staffing, general flight plans, etc. for approval from a multicenter review board. 4-6 days before mission •Engineering check flight

•Better know as “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” •Flight Planning

•Transit flight plan and passenger manifest •Draft Science flight plans 2-4 days before mission start

•Safety briefings

Mission Timeline Start of Science Mission which can last 2 days to 6 weeks •Transit to deployment site •Science Flights •Power on 2-3 hours before takeoff •Preflight brief 1.5 hours before takeoff •Door Close 30 minutes before takeoff •Takeoff •Landing •Post flight power •Flight debrief to discuss flight performance •Data download from instrument •Preliminary data submission to archive within 24 hours •After completion of all science flights transit back to home base

Mission Timeline 2 days after mission completion •De-integration of instruments from aircraft

6 months after mission completion •Data merges on different time bases of preliminary data completed •First science team data meeting •Presentations by investigators of data analysis products •Establishment of joint relationships for scientific papers •Listing of proposed scientific publications

6-12 months after mission completion •Submission of final data by all investigators to mission archive

12 months after mission completion •Data merge of final data completed •Public release of final data

Mission Timeline 12-24 months after mission completion •Presentations at scientific conferences •Preparation of scientific papers for submission to special issues of journals

18-36 months after mission completion •Publication of papers in scientific journals

Total time from conception to completion of an airborne science a mission can be 3-6 years with continuing publication of research results for years.

Mission Timeline

Questions?

Mission Timeline