Rick Shetter Nserc

Rick Shetter NSERC

•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

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 •Often this can be the most difficult task

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

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 Desired location on aircraft, if known Dimensions of major components (inches) Total weight (pounds) Control method (aircrew switches, onboard researcher, fully autonomous, uplink/downlink) Do you require real time aircraft state parameters (time, nav data, etc.)? Telemetry/satcom requirements Previously flown on this or other aircraft? List last several missions flown and on which aircraft. If so, have there been any changes since last flown? 3. Aircraft Power Requirements

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

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 •Mission Technical Brief to obtain center approval •Objectives •Schedule •Aircraft •Configuration

Changes

•Science Payload •Experiment

Layout •New Hardware •Flight Operations •Planned Flight Activity •Risk/Hazard Management •Hazard Action Matrix

Instrument Loading Floorplan

WAS

 Whole air sampling using gas chromatography  PI: Don Blake, University of California Irvine  Re-fly of ARCTAS, TC4, INTEX-NA  Probe: FS970L  Racks

FS945L  FS995L  SARP Flight Information  Probe: FS970L  Racks  FS940L C-130 Rack  FS985L C-130 Rack  Power Requirements  115V, 60Hz: 3450W  Hazards  Senior Flexonics Pump  Documentation Status  Drawings and stress analysis are current and on file 

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 •Rack

mount •Floor mount •Window mount •Electric power check •Power use at each power station •Interference between instruments •Weight and balance of the aircraft

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 •Hazard action awareness •Aircraft flight safety

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

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

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.

Questions?