Systems Engineering Seminar

Distributed Space Systems: Mission Concepts, Systems Engineering, and Technology Development

Presented by:
Dr. Jesse Leitner/NASA GSFC, DSS Lead Engineer/571

April 2, 2002, 1:00 p.m.
Building 8 Auditorium

Abstract:
Distributed Space Systems (DSS) Technology allows NASA to exploit new vantage points, develop new sensing strategies and implement system-wide techniques which promote agility, adaptability, evolvability, scalability, and affordability through exploitation of multiple space platforms. This talk will present and end-to-end picture of DSS from a mission, technology, and systems engineering perspective. Based on the collective inputs of a DSS tiger team which was formed from elements across Goddard's engineering centers and science directorates, the multidisciplinary area will be defined, emphasizing near-term, mid-term, and future mission concepts. Some highlights will be made on engineering challenges (e.g., for precision formation flying systems) and science and data processing challenges (e.g., for multi-sensor fusion from sensor web elements). Additionally, some key DSS technology development activities will be highlighted along with the formation flying testbed (FFTB) which is used for integrated system-level analysis for the engineering element of formation flying missions. A systems engineering requirements allocation process will be laid out for an example proposed future mission. Lastly, a process for identifying short- and long-term technology requirements resulting from the aforementioned requirements allocation will be presented to indicate a path for achieving eventual revolutionary capabilities in earth and space science.

Biographies:

Dr. Jesse Leitner holds a Ph D in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech in the area of Flight Mechanics and Control, an MS in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech as well, and a BS in Aerospace Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. He is currently a Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Systems engineer and he serves as NASA Goddard's Lead Engineer for Distributed Space Systems. In this role he is responsible for the end-to-end technology program supporting Goddard's Earth Science and Space Science multiple spacecraft missions. He is also the lead analyst for formation flying guidance, navigation, and control. Dr. Leitner serves as an interface between engineers and scientist principal investigators for distributed spacecraft missions at Goddard and also acts as an interface in this area to the DoD and other government agencies with interest in distributed space systems. Prior to joining NASA Goddard at the beginning of 2000, he was a group leader for Space Flight Dynamics and Control at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate in Albuquerque. In this role, he led a group of military and civilian employees in activities focused on astrodynamics and guidance, navigation, and control of space systems, control of large optical systems, space vehicle formation flying, and IMINT-based and SIGINT-based geolocation. He serves on the AIAA GN&C Technical Committee, he is the AIAA director on the American Automatic Control Council and is the Technical Program Chairman for the 2002 AIAA GN&C Conference. He is also the vice-chairman of a 2002 International Symposium on Formation Flying Missions and technologies to be held in Toulouse, France in October of 2002.