Science MissionDirectorate

Earth-Sun SystemTechnology

Kenneth AndersonInstrument Incubator Program ManagerApril 27, 2005

2

Approach to Technology Development

• The Earth Science Biennial Review (June 1997) recommended that future missions be implemented with shorter development time and using the best suitable technology.

• The resulting plan included the establishment of a flexible, science-driven technology strategy that would develop very specific technologies via a competitive selection process and provide a broad portfolio of emerging technologies for infusion into a range of Earth Science missions.

• To meet these challenges the Earth Science Technology Program was established and the Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) created in March 1998.

• Transformation of Space and Earth Science Enterprises to Science Mission Directorate in August 2004 merged Earth Science with Sun-Earth Connection into the Earth-Sun System Division.

The Earth-Sun System Technology Office (ESTO):• Performs strategic technology planning for Earth Science and the Sun-Earth Connection • Coordinates with other NASA Mission Directorates and participating Agencies• Implements focused technology development for the Earth-Sun System Division

http://esto.nasa.gov/

3

Enterprise Objectives

Missions

Technology Program

Enterprise objectives established

Missions sets derived fromEnterprise objectives

Technology programs derived From mission requirements

Enterprise objectives drive technology

Technology expands mission horizons

Missions evolve from convergence ofobjectives and technology

Missions

Enterprise Objectives

Technology Program

Technology Development Approach

“Old” ParadigmTechnology derived from Missions

“New” ParadigmMissions enabled by Technology`

4

Science Focus Areas

Climate Variability & Change

Water & Energy Cycle

Weather

Atmospheric Composition

Earth Surface & Interior Structure

Carbon Cycle & Ecosystems

5

Planning & Setting Direction

Earth Science Technology Integrated Planning System (ESTIPS)

• Science needs taken from science roadmaps + open community workshops

• Coordinate scope of all solicitations with science leads to narrow scope

http://esto.nasa.gov/estips

6

Implementation - Program Elements

Advanced Technology Initiatives (ATI)—provides for concept studies and development of component and subsystems technologies for instruments and platforms

Instrument Incubator Program (IIP)—provides new instrument and measurement techniques including lab development and airborne validation

Advanced Information Systems Technologies (AIST)—provides innovative on-orbit and ground capabilities for the communication, processing, and management of remotely sensed data and the efficient generation of information

Computational Technologies (CT)—provides techniques and systems that enable high performance throughput, archiving, data manipulation, and visualization of very large, highly distributed remotely sensed data sets consistent with modeling needs

Technology Program Readiness Levels

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Science & Appl. Measurement

Advanced Concepts

Advanced Technology Initiative (ATI)

Instrument Incubator Program (IIP)

Advanced Information Systems Technology (AIST)

Small Bus. Innov. Research (SBIR)

Exploration Systems Res & Tech (ESR&T)

Computational Technology (CT)

Basic

Prin

ciple

s

Observ

ed &

Rep

orted

Conceptual D

esign

Formulate

d

Conceptu

al D

esign

Teste

d Exp

erim

enta

lly

Critic

al

Componen

t Tes

ted

Pre-P

roto

type

Teste

dPro

toty

pe

Devel

oped to

Qual

ify

Engineerin

g Model

Tested in

Space A

pp.

Operat

ional

8

Federal Labs (7)Aerospace Corp. (Instruments - 1)Air Force Research Lab (Instruments - 1; Info Sys - 1)Lawrence Berkeley NL (CT - 1)NCAR (Info Sys 2; CT - 1)

Small Corp. (13)Aerodyne Research (Instru. - 1)ASRC Aerospace Corp. (Instru. - 1)AER Inc. (Info Systems - 1)Barr Associates, Inc (Instruments - 1)BBN Technologies (Info Systems - 1)GST (CT - 2)Lite Cycles, Inc. (Instruments - 1)Polatomic (Instruments - 1)Q-Peak, Inc. (Instruments - 1)QorTek Inc (Instruments - 1)SES, Inc. (Instruments - 1)Spectrum Astro (Info Systems - 1)

JPL (29)Instruments 12Info Systems 6CT 10Platforms 1

GRC (1)Info Systems 1

Cal Institute of Tech (CT - 1)Carnegie Mellon (Info Systems - 1)George Mason U. (Info Systems - 1)Georgia Tech (Instruments - 1)Harvard Univ. (Instruments - 1)MIT (CT - 1)Ohio State Univ. (Instruments - 1)U. of Alaska (Info Systems - 1)U. of California, Los Angeles (CT - 1)U. of Colorado, Boulder (Instruments - 2)U. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Info Sys - 1; CT - 1)U. of Maryland (CT - 1)U. of Michigan (Instruments - 1; CT - 1)U. of Oklahoma (Info Systems - 1)USC/ISI (Info Systems - 1)

Academia (18)

LaRC (13)Instruments 12Info Systems 1

GSFC (31)Instruments 18Info Systems 4CT 8Studies 1

Instruments: 60Info Systems: 29Comp. Tech.: 28

Platforms: 1Studies: 1

Total: 119

Large Corp. (5)Ball Aerospace (Instruments - 2)Draper Labs (Info Systems - 1)ITT Industries (Info Systems - 1)Lockheed Martin (Info Systems - 1)

ARC (2)

ESTO

Info Systems 2

Technology Investments (FY 04-05)

9

Instrument Incubator Program Overview

• The objectives of the IIP are to identify, develop and, where appropriate demonstrate new measurement technologies which:

• Reduce the risk, cost, size, and development time of Earth observing instruments, and• Enable new Earth observation measurements.

• IIP designed to reduce risk of new, innovative instrument systems so they can be successfully used in science AO in a 3 year acquisition environment.

• TRL guidance• Entry TRL from 3 to 5; Exit TRL less than or equal to 6.• Development must advance by at least one TRL.

• The results at the exit point should provide convincing evidence that the instrumentation can make the proposed measurements and that an operational instrument can be built within the context of the new shorter acquisition cycles.

• Solicits:• Instrument design• Engineering model construction• Lab and/or field demonstrations• Proposer defines starting and exit points

Three year development, second and third years as options.• Award values in range of $500K to $1000K annually

10

• Solicitation released August 19; 82 responses received November 2.

Academia 22 proposals (27%)Industry 18 proposals (22%)NASA Centers 26 proposals (32%)FFRDCs (inc. JPL) 12 proposals (15%)Other 4 proposals (5%)

• Based upon prioritized science topics

• Three Primary Science Focus areas:

• Atmospheric aerosols and trace gases, especially in the lower troposphere

• Ice Topographic Mapping• Tropospheric Winds

• Other instrument proposals also allowed

• Selections expected by end of April

Instrument Incubator NRA - 2004

11

UAV-SAR

• UAV-SAR is a program to develop an L-band, repeat-pass interferometric SAR

• PI: Dr. Scott Hensley, JPL• Heritage from AIRSAR and GEOSAR programs• Will address a range of science investigations, with primary emphasis on

solid earth science• System design includes extendability to additional frequencies/single pass

interferometry

• Initial operation will be on a Gulfstream GIII, with later transition to a UAV• Transition plan in development

• Instrument PDR was successfully held on April 12-14 at JPL• CDR planned for fall, 2005• First engineering test flights of system planned for late 2006,

with science qualification flights in 2007• Final delivery estimated for fourth quarter FY2008

12

• The Advanced Component Technology (ACT-05) NRA was released on January 28, 2005 as part of the ROSES solicitation. 

• The NRA emphasizes six target areas:

• active and passive microwave antennas for Earth Science Instruments, • active and passive electronics for Earth Science Instruments, and • in situ and remote sensing instrument technologies that are highly sought

by the Sun-Solar System Connection Science Program. 

• Ninety-six potential proposers from NASA, academia, private industry and other government agencies are planning to respond to the call for component technologies and subsystems sought in the NRA. 

• Proposals are due on April 28, 2005.

2005 ROSES Solicitation