solar orbiter project key decision point-a

Solar Orbiter Project

Key Decision Point-A

Presentation to the Science Mission Directorate Program Management Council

June 11, 2008

Agenda

• Introduction• Science Background & Traceability

– NASA Solar Sentinels, Far Side Sentinels– ESA Solar Orbiter

• Merged Joint Science Objectives in JSTDT Report: Heliophysics Explorers (HELEX)

– Letter of Agreement for pre-formulation– 3 Inner Heliospheric Explorers and 1 Solar Orbiter– Concurrent NASA & ESA AOs for Solar Orbiter

• Management Structure & KDP-A Requirements– NASA Management Structure– NASA and ESA manage separate projects with ICDs

• Several ESA management documents in place– NASA leads the creation of the launch vehicle ICD

• Technical challenges:– ESA dual launch capability/EELV adapter/mass allocations– Schedule for instrument delivery– Number of International Agreements

• Request for approval to advance beyond KDP-A

Solar Orbiter History

• The International Living with a Star (ILWS) working group was formed in 2001 to promote interagency cooperation/collaboration in Heliophysics) missions

• ESA Solar Orbiter Science Requirements Document was released in March 2005.

• NASA LWS/Solar Sentinels Science and Technology Definition Team Report was released in August 2006

• Early in 2007, ESA and NASA combined Solar Sentinels and Solar Orbiter into a single joint collaboration because of the synergy of the two missions– A joint STDT (JSTDT) was formed and charged with prioritizing the science

goals for the joint collaboration.– The JSTDT renamed the merged missions as the HELiophysical EXplorers

(HELEX) missions.– The JSDT released its final report on October 5, 2007

• ESA released its Solar Orbiter AO on October 18, 2007• NASA released FOSO as an addendum to the SMEX AO on October 22, 2007

Solar Orbiter Programmatics

• ESA's Science Programme Committee approved Solar Orbiter in October 2000, and formulation in 2007 with 2015 notional launch

– Take images of the Sun both in the visible and non-visible wavelengths with equipment similar to the SOHO

– Coverage of the Sun would be out-of-the- ecliptic, similar to Ulysses

• First near Sun observations from low to high latitudes

– In situ measurements and high-resolution imaging close to the Sun will advance science of sources of coronal mass ejections (CME)

• Follow-on to SoHo, Ulysses, and Cluster

– Locate spacecraft above one particular point on the Sun for a relatively long period, thus enabling a more detailed look than ever before

– Closest approach: 45 solar radii due to heat limits on solar panels

– Venus gravity assists could increase its inclination from equatorial to more polar (> 30 degrees)

Agenda









Sentinels Science is described in “Solar Sentinels: Report of the

Science and Technology Definition Team,” August 2006

Notional NASA/LWS Space Weather Research Network

Far Side Sentinel (2006 STDT Report); carried magnetograph

Solar Dynamics Observatory

Radiation Belt Storm Probes

Ionosphere-Thermosphere Storm Probes

Inner Heliospheric Sentinels (2006 STDT Report)

Near Earth Sentinel (2006 STDT Report)

Science is described in “HELEX: Heliophysical Explorers: Solar Orbiter and Sentinels: Report of the Joint Science and Technology Definition Team,” 2007

Revised ILWS Space Weather Research Network

Solar Orbiter (2007 JSTDT Report)

Solar Dynamics Observatory

Radiation Belt Storm Probes

Ionosphere-Thermosphere Storm Probes

Inner Heliospheric Sentinels (2007 JSTDT Report)

Science Importance of Solar Orbiter

Energetic particles may arise from multiple locations in a complex solar eruption. • Each location will have different properties• These properties mix together (or average-out) as distance from the eruption increases

Simultaneous in-situ observations of magnetic field lines connecting back to flare sites and to shock fronts driven by CMEs are required to determine the relative importance of the associated acceleration processes

• Also need concurrent remote imaging of flares, wide field-of-view coronagraphy of CMEs and spectroscopic identification of the CME-driven shocks

Solar Orbiter Mission Summary

• Mission Profile– Launch on Atlas V (Delta IV and Soyuz-Fregat 2-1B as back-ups) in mid-2015– 3.4 years to reach its Sun-centered orbit, approaching as close as 48 solar radii,

or 0.22 AU in 150-day orbit• Gravity assists at the Moon, Earth and multiple times at Venus to increase

inclination

– Retention of Soyuz option will be addressed in “technical challenges”• Spacecraft

– Single element, 3-axis stabilised, 2 adjustable solar arrays– Orientation: Sun-pointing (heat shield)– TM band: X/Ka– Data volume per orbit: 380-430 Gbit

• Nominal prime mission duration: 7-years• Operations:

– Mission: European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), Darmstadt, Germany, using ESA’s New Norcia (Australia) ground-station

– Science: European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC), Madrid, Spain

Heliospheric Explorers (HELEX) JSTDT Report:Notional Timeline for 2015 Solar Orbiter &

2017 Inner Heliospheric Sentinels (3 S/C) Launches

Event Date Solar Orbiter Launch 2015 May 19 Solar Orbiter Venus Gravity Assist (VGA) 1 2015 Nov 27 Solar Orbiter Earth Gravity Assist (EGA) 1 2016 Oct 8 Sentinels Launch 2017 Mar 29 Sentinels 1,2,3 VGA 1 2017 Sept 16 Sentinels 1,2 VGA 2 2018 Apr 29 Sentinels 3 VGA 2 2018 Jul 8 Sentinels 1 1st time below 0.5 AU 2018 Jul 13 Solar Orbiter EGA 2 2018 Aug 8 Solar Orbiter VGA 2 2018 Oct 10 Solar Orbiter at Min perihelion of 0.215 AU 2019 Apr 17 Sentinels 1 VGA 3 2019 Jul 22 Sentinels 2 VGA 3 2019 Aug 21 Sentinels 1 1st Min perihelion @ 0.25 AU 2019 Sept 26 Sentinels 3 VGA 3 2019 Sept 30 Solar Orbiter VGA 3 2020 Jan 3 End of Sentinels Primary mission 2020 Mar 29 Solar Orbiter VGA 4 2021 Mar 27 End of Solar Orbiter Primary mission 2021 Jul 8 Solar Orbiter at Max latitude of 34 degrees 2025 Mar 12

Yellow shading indicates time between the beginning of Solar Orbiter science phase and end of Sentinels primary mission.

Agenda









Solar Orbiter: Science Goal & Objectives

• Goal: Explore the near-Sun environment to improve the understanding of:– How the Sun determines the environment of the inner solar system– How the Sun generates the heliosphere– How fundamental plasma physical processes operate near the Sun

• Science objectives:– What are the origins of the solar wind streams and heliospheric

magnetic field?– What are the sources, acceleration mechanisms, and transport

processes of solar energetic particles?– How do coronal mass ejections evolve in the inner heliosphere?

To answer these questions, it is essential to:Make in situ measurements of the solar wind plasma, fields, waves, and energetic particles

Make imaging/spectroscopic observations close enough to the Sun that they are relatively unprocessed

Prioritized In Situ Measurements for Solar Orbiter

Key: R = Required measurement; S = Supporting Measurement; “blank” = No contribution

Obj. Question

2.1.1 Where does the slow and fast solar wind come from?

S S S R S R R R

2.1.2 What are the solar sources of the HMF?

S S S R R R

2.1.3 What is the solar origin of turbulence and structures at all scales in the solar wind?

S S R S S R R R

2.2.2 How are solar energetic particles released from their sources and distributed in space and time?

R R S R R S R R R

2.3.3 How and when do shocks form near the Sun?

R R S S R R S R S S

2.1

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R SR

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S S S

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Inner Heliospheric Measurements (Sonic point < X < 0.5 AU): In Situ

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Prioritized Remote Sensing Measurements for Solar Orbiter

Key: R = Required measurement; S = Supporting Measurement; “blank” = No contribution

Obj. Question

2.1.1 Where does the slow and fast solar wind come from?

S R R R R S R

2.1.2 What are the solar sources of the HMF?

R R R R

2.1.3 What is the solar origin of turbulence and structures at all scales in the solar wind?

S R R R R R

2.2.2 How are solar energetic particles released from their sources and distributed in space and time?

S S S R R S

2.3.3 How and when do shocks form near the Sun?

S S S R R S

R R

R

Coronal Measurements (0 to 60 Rs): Remote Sensing

RR R

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? 2.3.1 How is the structure of CMEs related to their origin?

S R

2.3.2 How do transients add magnetic flux to and remove it from the heliosphere?

S R S

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Applicability of Solar Orbiter to the Heliophysics Research Objectives & the

Heliophysics and NASA Strategic Goals as Defined in theScience Plan for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate 2007-2016

Applicability to Solar Orbiter

3B1 Understand the fundamental physical processes of the space environment from the Sun to Earth, to other planets, and beyond to the interstellar medium

Major

3B2 Understand how human society, technological systems, and the habitability of planets are affected by solar variability and planetary magnetic fields

Supporting

3B3 Maximize the safety and productivity of human and robotic explorers by developing the capability to predict the extreme and dynamic conditions in space

Supporting

NASA Strategic Goal 3: Develop a balanced overall program of science, exploration, and aeronautics consistent with the redirection of the human spaceflight program to focus on exploration.NASA Strategic Sub-goal 3B and Heliophysics Science Goal: Understand the Sun and its effects on Earth and the solar system.

Heliophysics Research Objectives:

GSFC

NASA Instruments

ESA/ ESTEC

European Instruments

NASA EELV

NASA HQ

Solar Orbiter

Spacecraft

• MOU• ESA Interface• (NASA AO) Payload Acquisition

ESA

• Project Management• Project Science • NASA/ESA Liaison• NASA P/L Procurement• EELV Procurement

• NASA/ESA Liaison• Project Management• Project Science • Mission Design• Mission Integration• P/L Integration• Mission Operations

• Range Safety• Payload Processing• S/C / Launch Vehicle I/F• Launch Services Procurement • Mission Integration • Launch Operations

• MOU• NASA Interface• (ESA AO) ESA Payload Acquisition

Draft Solar Orbiter NASA/ESA Framework:

KSC LSP

Programmatic InterfaceHardware Interface

Documented in Study-Phase LOA with ESA

Notional Solar Orbiter Instrument Schedule

DRAFT

Science MeritsFeasibility

Tech Evaluations/

Steering Committee/

Categories I,II, III, IVSelection

Payload Complements Accommodation Studies

(also with industry)

DELTA Technical Assessments

AO -out September / October 2007ESA AO Cleared by NASA

SMEX AOUS Proposals

Concurrent Announcement

ESA Observers

ESA Observers

NASA Reviews

Preliminary assessment of individual instruments and science performances

Final Selection

Proposals inMid Jan 2008

Internal Technical assessments

PI interviews and 2nd JSC Meeting

May 2008

1st MeetJoint Science Committee (JSC)

ESA / NASA Consultation

3rd Meeting JSC

ESA NASA Consultation

NASA CAT PROC.

Process for NASA-ESA

Cooperation on Concurrent Solar

Orbiter AO

FOSO Solicitation for Proposals

• Proposals for science investigations for high priority science as defined in the HELEX JSTDT report were solicited (Heliospheric imager and science that ESA cannot provide)

– Order of precedence for the science, requirements, and instruments (highest to lowest):

• FOSO: NPR 7120.5D, NPR 7123.1, RBSP MAR• HELEX JSTDT Report• Solar Orbiter documentation from the European Space Agency

– Solar Orbiter Science Management Plan– Solar Orbiter Experiment Interface Document (EID)-A

» IRD for instruments

– Solar Orbiter Experiment Interface Document (EID)-B» Instrumenters’ responses to EID-A

– Solar Orbiter Payload Definition Document (PDD)» Description of reference payload & reference spacecraft design

• Investigations are in two categories:– Instrument investigations: NASA funds an investigation that has a NASA-funded

Principal Investigator (PI) leading the development of the instrument suite; • Example: A wide angle coronagraph/ heliospheric imager

– Sensor investigations: NASA funds an investigation that has a NASA-funded PI providing a sensor for an ESA-led instrument suite

Comparison of SMEX and FOSO Opportunities

Category SMEX FOSOPhase A Competitive Not competitive but Initial Confirmation Review

with funded awardees contributing to project documentation

Costing FY 2007 Fixed Year Dollars

Real Year Dollars

Science Open Focused on Solar Orbiter as defined in the FOSO and HELEX JSTDT Report

Instruments Open; per proposal

Must fit within resource constraints of Solar Orbiter

Risk Category D CMission Assurance Requirements

SMEX MAR RBSP MAR

Integration As proposed in AO U.S.-instrument integration in U.S.; integration of sensors to European-led instruments funded by Europe; integration of instruments to spacecraft funded by ESA

Mission Operations As proposed in AO Funded by Europe; Science Operations for U.S.-led instrument(s) funded by FOSO proposal

SMEX Focused Opportunity for Solar Orbiter2007 Proposal Evaluation Process

AOReleased

PreproposalBriefing

@HQ

Receipt ofNotices of

Intent

TMCEvaluation

Kick Off

Receipt of Proposals

ComplianceCheck of

Proposals

Space ScienceSteering Committee

@ HQ

Selection bySMD AA @ HQ

10/22/07 11/6/07

Debriefings toProposers

TMCEvaluation

Science Merit& Technical Merit

Evaluation

TMC EvalTeam Meeting

Science EvalTeam Meeting

CategorizationCommittee

@ HQ

Coordination with ESA Solar Orbiter

Summer 2008

Program ScientistBriefing Package

11/6/07

Agenda









TBDMission System Eng.

Code 590

Notional NASA Solar Orbiter Project (Code 46X):Civil Service and Contractors

Haydee MaldonadoProject Manager

TBDLV/ ITAR Interface Manager

TBDFinancial Manager

TBDProject Secretary

Resources/Project Control Project Support Configuration Management Schedules IT

Chris StCyrProject Scientist

Code 670

Julie JanusContracting Officer

Code 210

RequirementsRisk ManagementSoftware Systems/ IVVInterfacesAETD Support Code 500

TBDInstrument Manager

Code 46X

* Code 303 is funded from CMO (not project)

TBD*Systems Assurance

Mgr.Code 303

GSFC

NASA Instruments

ESA/ ESTEC

European Instruments

NASA EELV

NASA HQ

Solar Orbiter

Spacecraft

• MOU• ESA Interface• (NASA AO) Payload Acquisition

ESA

• Project Management• Project Science • NASA/ESA Liaison• NASA P/L Procurement• EELV Procurement

• NASA/ESA Liaison• Project Management• Project Science • Mission Design• Mission Integration• P/L Integration• Mission Operations

• Range Safety• Payload Processing• S/C / Launch Vehicle I/F• Launch Services Procurement • Mission Integration • Launch Operations

• MOU• NASA Interface• (ESA AO) ESA Payload Acquisition

Draft Solar Orbiter NASA/ESA Framework

KSC LSP

Programmatic InterfaceHardware Interface

Pre-Phase A Requirements from NPR 7120.5D &Solar Orbiter Method for Meeting Requirement:

4.3.1 PurposeRequirement Solar Orbiter Method for Meeting Requirement

Study a broad range of mission concepts that contribute to program and Mission Directorate goals and objectives focused toward a Mission Concept Review & KDP-A

(a) Studied a 4-Inner Heliospheric Sentinels (IHS), 1 near-Earth Sentinels (NES), and 1 Far Side Sentinel (FSS)

(b) Studied a 3-IHS and 1 Solar Orbiter MissionUse results to help the team to:

Solar Orbiter/IHS concept was more advantageous than the 4IHS, 1 FSS and 1 NES because:It could accomplish most of the 1FSS, 4IHS, 1 NES mission scienceIt could be done in a cost-effective mannerIt could put an observatory on the far side of the Sun to support exploration to Mars when the Sun is between Earth and Mars

• Identify draft project-level requirements Prioritization of the instruments versus the science goals was performed as part of the JSTDT team activity. These prioritizations together with the mission concept form the basis for the program-level requirements on the project. EID-A identifies draft instrument requirements.

• Identify potential technology needs (based on the best mission concepts)

The Solar Orbiter mission concept study associated with the JSTDT report identified the solar-pointing heat shield as a technology item

• Assess gaps between needs and current and planned technology readiness levels.

ESA believes they can achieve the required technology readiness levels by the ICR and PDR dates even though NASA will not be performing an ICR or a PDR on the ESA portion of the mission

• Identify promising mission concept(s)


4.3.2 Requirements

Requirement Solar Orbiter Method for Meeting Requirement

Pre-project manager and team shall support HQ and the Program Manager to:

– Obtain an approved project FAD. The pre-project manager and scientist provided support to prepare the FAD.

– Develop the draft program requirements on the project.

The pre-project manager and scientist participated in the JSTDT's development of the prioritized science

–Perform technical activities to: • Develop and document preliminary mission concept(s).

The pre-project manager and scientist worked with the JSTDT and ESA to develop the NASA-ESA Framework and mission concept.

• Conduct internal reviews in accordance with NPR 7123.1, Center practices, and the requirements of this document

The pre-project manager and scientist supported accommodation assessments for proposals to the FOSO; this activity replaced the Mission Concept Review, because ESA (and not NASA) was responsible for the mission concept

–Note: NPR 7123.1 contains no entrance & exit criteria KDP-A


4.3.3 Perform Project Planning, Costing, &Scheduling Activities

Requirement Solar Orbiter Method for Meeting RequirementDevelop and document a draft Integrated Baseline for all work to be performed by the project that includes the following:

A high-level Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A high-level WBS was used to prepare the PPBE 08-1 submit.

A notional schedule was provided as part of this presentation.Costs for the EELV and mission management were submitted in the PPBE 08-1 submit assuming 1 instrument will be selected in the AO. An estimate of $65M of available funds for instruments was published in the FOSO; it will be updated after FOSO selections are announced.

An assessment of technology needs versus current/planned technology readiness levels

NASA Technology needs associated with instruments cannot be assessed until FOSO selections are announced, but the FOSO required that proposers ensure they can reach the end of TRL 5 by the end of Phase A and the end of TRL 6 by the end of Phase B. A technical, management, and cost (TMC) independent review assessment the TRLs as part of its overall review.

A schedule, and a rough-order-of-magnitude cost estimate and cost range


4.3.3 Perform Project Planning, Costing, &Scheduling Activities (Continued)

Requirement Solar Orbiter Method for Meeting RequirementAn assessment of infrastructure and workforce needs versus current plans

The FOSO proposals were supposed to include all costs associated with Phases A through E including an additional year of data analysis and data archiving after primew mission. Updates to p roject management will occur after the number of selected proposals is announced.

Identification of potential partnerships ESA is a prime partner. ESA member states may be instrument partners, but the determination of how many partners can only occur after AO selecteions are comlete. The method for developing agreements (one with ESA covering all the instruments versus one with ESA and one with each member state with whom we partner for instruments or sensors is an agenda topic for the next Solar Orbiter Joint Steering Committee.

Identification of conceptual acquisition strategies for major procurements

Instruments are being acquired from the FOSO AO, and the EELV is being acquired from ULS.


4.3.4 Conduct KDP-A Readiness Activities

RequirementSolar Orbiter Method for Meeting

Requirement

Approved FAD FAD ApprovedScience EvaluationsAO Technical, Management, & Cost Report

Project Manager Recommendation Including Responses to SRB ReportCMC RecommendationProgram Manager Recommendation Selection Announcement (Occurs

after KDP-A DPMC Approval)

Governing PMC (DPMC) Recommendation

DPMC Approval to Advance Beyond Pre-Formulation

Standing Review Board report

Categorization & Selection Recommendation

Agenda









Technical Challenge: ESA Dual Launch Capability/EELV Adapter/Mass Allocations

• Statement: ESA must maintain compatibility with the Soyuz Fregat launch vehicle as a back up

• Problem:– There is no flight-qualified payload adapter between the Soyuz and the

EELV, so ESA will need to design and qualify an adapter• The Center of Mass of the payload will be raised when the adapter is

used• The launch loads are significantly worse for the Soyuz compared to the

EELV, so structure must be sturdier to accommodate the Soyuz• Mass reserves are lower than NASA requires at this point in the project,

and mass usually grows instead of decreases as formulation and development occur

• If the structure only needs to accommodate EELV launch loads, then excess structure mass could be either held in reserve or allocated to the science

• Potential Solution: – This problem will be discussed during the Joint Steering Committee with

ESA on June 10• Mention has been made of deleting the Soyuz backup after the MOA

with ESA is signed

Technical Challenge:Schedule for Instrument and Sensor Delivery

• Statement: The notional schedule for instrument delivery is Sept. 2013, 1.75 years before launch; sensors are to be delivered 1 year before complete instruments

• Problem: The short schedule for instrument formulation and development introduces risks due to streamlining tests to meet delivery dates

– It appears that ESA is holding an extra year of reserve, because the schedule shows shipment of the Solar Orbiter Observatory to KSC one year prior to launch

• Potential Solution: Refine KSC schedule during Phase A and release some recovered reserve to the instruments so instruments can identify and fix problems early in development

– Delaying problem identification and resolution until I&T tends to be more complicated (due to more components) and take longer to fix

Technical Challenge: Number of International Agreements

• Statement: ESA member states are developing the instruments, and ESA is developing the spacecraft bus

• Problem: The number of agreements with the US can become large and time consuming if agreements are required between both ESA and the member states

• Potential Solution: Discuss the number of agreements needed with ESA during the Joint Steering Committee meeting on June 10.

Agenda









Request

Solar Orbiter requests approval to advance to Phase A pending announcement of selections

from the FOSO AO

solar orbiter project key decision point-a

Documents

solar radii

solar orbiter ao

science of sources

science goals

jstdt report

missionsa joint stdt

single joint collaboration

final report