Presentation Type
Paper (supporting PowerPoints may be added as Additional Files)
Location
Bass Auditorium
Start Date
26-2-2019 11:00 AM
Abstract
This paper highlights the importance of understanding some key factors, such as winds effects, trajectory and vehicle parameters variations in order to streamline the space vehicle operations and enhance science in the upper mesosphere at about 85 km. Understanding these effects is crucial to refine current space operations and establish more robust procedures. These procedures will involve training new space operators to conduct and coordinate space operations in class E above FL600 airspace within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO).
Space vehicles such as Space Ship Two can spend up to 6 minutes in class E airspace above FL600 after launch. Most of this time is dedicated for science data collection in microgravity and maximizing the science is a key priority. Typical suborbital trajectories cut through the noctilucent cloud layer in the mesosphere region from about 260,000 feet to 280,000 feet during the ascent and descent. This space activity falls within the D-layer of the ionosphere (50-90 km). In each of these segments, the space vehicle spends about 10 seconds in the region of interest, totaling about 20 seconds of total in-situ uninterrupted science in the mesosphere.
This study illustrates some examples of suborbital trajectories that can enhance the scientific research performed in this region. The altitude of these trajectories can be targeted in order to provide continuous data collection that can last for about 100 seconds, and could be enhanced by current ground based technologies prior to launch. Suborbital flights usually operate under visual flight rules (VFR) and in Special Use Airspace (SUA) in the vicinity of a designated spaceport. For example, Blue Origin’s New Shepard has a vertical space transition corridor (STC) with about two miles between the launch and landing locations in West Texas Launch Site, that is, a very well defined corridor given that it is a vertical takeoff vertical landing (VTVL) space activity. However, Virgin Galactic SS2 or XCOR Lynx vehicles have similar flight profiles with STC that can vary up to 60-75 miles in range. These last two require more refined operations with air traffic control since these vehicles have an air launched takeoff and horizontal take off, and spend a good portion of their flights within the National Air Space (NAS), especially during descent. Typical suborbital flights go through the mesosphere in a few seconds, yet most of the science to be collected is in this region. Extending science operations in the upper mesosphere will imply having a slight different trajectory and therefore a different STC where the vehicle will spend more time in that particular layer of the atmosphere.
Thus, we believe these science requirements should be coordinated with space operators and air traffic controllers to increase the success of the mission. Although there is no current technology yet that can track these space vehicles real-time from the ground, it is important to streamline such operations, to refine and establish more mature space vehicle operations. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has successfully flown some ADS-B equipment on balloons (140,000 feet) and aboard NASA’s WB57 aircraft (60,000 feet), and current collaborative efforts are being carried to test these technologies as prospective commercial tools to seamlessly track future high-speed vehicles. Given that suborbital flights can be mission dependent, we will have to ensure that these technologies enable tracking and telemetry of the space vehicle to ground space and traffic operators, since longer point-to-point suborbital flights may have ranges beyond the range of the FAA ground receiver network. Thus, additional network nodes and marine operations may be required to fulfill such space activities.
Area of Interest
NAS Integration
Biographies
Included in
Aviation and Space Education Commons, Educational Technology Commons, Operational Research Commons, Space Vehicles Commons
Enhancing suborbital science through better understanding of wind effects
Bass Auditorium
This paper highlights the importance of understanding some key factors, such as winds effects, trajectory and vehicle parameters variations in order to streamline the space vehicle operations and enhance science in the upper mesosphere at about 85 km. Understanding these effects is crucial to refine current space operations and establish more robust procedures. These procedures will involve training new space operators to conduct and coordinate space operations in class E above FL600 airspace within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO).
Space vehicles such as Space Ship Two can spend up to 6 minutes in class E airspace above FL600 after launch. Most of this time is dedicated for science data collection in microgravity and maximizing the science is a key priority. Typical suborbital trajectories cut through the noctilucent cloud layer in the mesosphere region from about 260,000 feet to 280,000 feet during the ascent and descent. This space activity falls within the D-layer of the ionosphere (50-90 km). In each of these segments, the space vehicle spends about 10 seconds in the region of interest, totaling about 20 seconds of total in-situ uninterrupted science in the mesosphere.
This study illustrates some examples of suborbital trajectories that can enhance the scientific research performed in this region. The altitude of these trajectories can be targeted in order to provide continuous data collection that can last for about 100 seconds, and could be enhanced by current ground based technologies prior to launch. Suborbital flights usually operate under visual flight rules (VFR) and in Special Use Airspace (SUA) in the vicinity of a designated spaceport. For example, Blue Origin’s New Shepard has a vertical space transition corridor (STC) with about two miles between the launch and landing locations in West Texas Launch Site, that is, a very well defined corridor given that it is a vertical takeoff vertical landing (VTVL) space activity. However, Virgin Galactic SS2 or XCOR Lynx vehicles have similar flight profiles with STC that can vary up to 60-75 miles in range. These last two require more refined operations with air traffic control since these vehicles have an air launched takeoff and horizontal take off, and spend a good portion of their flights within the National Air Space (NAS), especially during descent. Typical suborbital flights go through the mesosphere in a few seconds, yet most of the science to be collected is in this region. Extending science operations in the upper mesosphere will imply having a slight different trajectory and therefore a different STC where the vehicle will spend more time in that particular layer of the atmosphere.
Thus, we believe these science requirements should be coordinated with space operators and air traffic controllers to increase the success of the mission. Although there is no current technology yet that can track these space vehicles real-time from the ground, it is important to streamline such operations, to refine and establish more mature space vehicle operations. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has successfully flown some ADS-B equipment on balloons (140,000 feet) and aboard NASA’s WB57 aircraft (60,000 feet), and current collaborative efforts are being carried to test these technologies as prospective commercial tools to seamlessly track future high-speed vehicles. Given that suborbital flights can be mission dependent, we will have to ensure that these technologies enable tracking and telemetry of the space vehicle to ground space and traffic operators, since longer point-to-point suborbital flights may have ranges beyond the range of the FAA ground receiver network. Thus, additional network nodes and marine operations may be required to fulfill such space activities.
Comments