Design of a Science Operations Centre for the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter Mission

A. Cardesin Moinelo, D. Frew, L. Metcalfe, P. Martin, N. Manaud, A. Villacorta, J. Brumfitt (1)and O. Witasse (2)

(1) ESA-ESAC, European Space Astronomy Centre, Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain(2) ESA-ESTEC, European Space Research Centre, Norwijk, The Netherlands

Alejandro.Cardesin@esa.int

IntroductionAbstractThis contribution describes the design of the Science Operations Centre being developed at the European Space and Astronomy Centre (ESAC) for the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter mission. This technical contribution describes the assumptions and design decisions that have been taken in order to meet all the scientific requirements of the mission considering the tight schedule imposed by the launch date in early 2016. In order to meet all the requirements, the system design takes advantage of the existing expertise and the tools available from previous planetary missions, which will serve as a solid starting point for the development of the core critical elements of the science operations uplink system. Additionally the system design is taking advantage of the collaboration with other development frameworks existing at ESAC for future planetary missions and the further support obtained by the Russian collaboration establishing synergies and improving the baseline core system with advanced state-of-the-art techniques and methods.

Uplink System

ExoMars 2016 Ground Segment

ExoMars 2016 MissionThe first mission of the ExoMars programme consists of a Trace Gas Orbiter plus an Entry, Descent and Landing Demonstrator Module (EDM) that will be launched together in January 2016 on a Proton rocket and will fly to Mars in a mated configuration scheduled for arrival after a 9-month cruise phase. Three days before reaching the atmosphere of Mars, the EDM will be ejected from the Orbiter entering the Martian atmosphere and landing on the surface of the planet. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter will be inserted into an elliptical orbit around Mars and then sweep through the atmosphere during a long aerobraking phase of several months to finally settle into a circular, ~400km altitude orbit ready to conduct its scientific mission starting in late 2017. The main objectives of this mission are to search for evidence of trace atmospheric gases that could be signatures of active biological or geological processes and to test key technologies in preparation for ESA's contribution to subsequent missions to Mars. The Trace Gas Orbiter will also serve as a data relay asset for the 2018 rover mission of the ExoMars programme until the end of 2022.

Segment Stakeholder Interface

Science Management

Project Scientist Science management and main interface to principal investigators Assessment and approval of science plans

Science Working Team

Definition, refinement and categorization of science goals Identification of contributing observations

MOC Mission Operations Centre

Data Systems Distribution of science and housekeeping telemetry Distribution of auxiliary data products

Mission Planning

Validation of payload operations timelines Implementation of spacecraft timelines Spacecraft-ground communication schedules Generation of time correlation information Provision of spacecraft and ground system configuration

Flight Dynamics Validation of spacecraft attitude timelines Implementation of spacecraft trajectory and orientation. Production of spacecraft auxiliary data products Provision of spacecraft trajectory and attitude rules and

constraints

SGS Science Ground Segment

Instrument Team

Payload operation and achievement of science objectives: Definition of science observations Refinement of science observation timelines Handling and archiving of science products

Science Archives Team

Long term archiving of science data Dissemination of science data products to science community

Russian SOC (NNK)

Visibility of Science Operations Uplink system Support to downlink system on instrument data handling Replication of Deep Science Archive

System Functionality Main Capabilities

Uplink

Opportunity Analysis

Definition of the contributing observation conditions with expert instrument team support

Calculation of science opportunities defined by geometrical and operational conditions Analysis of opportunity events based on contextual geometrical and operational

information.

Scheduling and Planning

Support the science working team and the instrument teams in the preparation of the science plans.

Scheduling of the science observations timeline, assigning times for each observation operation.

Definition of the detailed observation timelines, including instrument pointing, operations and resource profiles.

Plan Simulation Simulation of the operations plan for the payload and spacecraft models. Computation of all geometry parameters, operational timeline and resource profiles.

Plan Validation Validation of the operations plan within all payload and spacecraft constraints. Validation of all geometrical, operational and resource checks.

Product Generation

Generate all operational products for the Long/Medium/Short Term Planning for iteration with the PI teams

Export of the observation timeline into MOC compatible request formats (POR/PTR)

Auxiliary Data Conversion

Convert SOC planning products and MOC products to SPICE format Make auxiliary spacecraft data available to the instrument teams in SPICE format

Operations Data Management

Configuration and management of observation definitions and plans Configuration and management of instrument and spacecraft models Configuration and management of system constraints and settings Validation of submitted observation timelines

Downlink

Data Handling

Data Acquisition of science and housekeeping telemetry from the ESOC Data Dissemination System

Data Processing of the input telemetry to generate PDS4 raw science and housekeeping data products.

Data acquisition and processing of auxiliary data: Events, Out-of-Limits, TM gap reports, etc

Archiving

Generation of PDS4 data bundles from PDS4 science and housekeeping data products at all processing levels.

Validation and Ingestion of PDS 4 bundle data at all data processing levels. Validation and archiving of calibrated data delivered by PI teams

Feedback*

Observations Log Database

List of planned observations Traceability of operations and data processing Planning, execution and data processing status Geometric, scientific and instrument performance quality control Monitoring of science coverage goals

Science Quick-Look

Quick-look visualization of science data to identify problems and issues relevant to science planning in order to allow rapid corrections or rescheduling

Engineering Housekeeping Monitoring

Monitoring of engineering data to identify problems and issues relevant to science planning in order to allow rapid corrections or rescheduling

TGO Instrument Science Objectives

ACS(Atmospheric Chemistry Suite)

This suite of 3 infrared instruments will investigate the chemistry and structure of the Martian atmosphere. ACS will complement NOMAD by extending the coverage at infrared wavelengths, and by taking images of the Sun to better analyse the solar occultation data.

CaSSIS(Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System)

A high-resolution camera (5 metres per pixel) capable of obtaining colour and stereo images over a wide swathe. CaSSIS will provide the geological and dynamical context for sources or sinks of trace gases detected by NOMAD and ACS.

FREND(Fine Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector)

This neutron detector will be used to map the presence of hydrogen on the Martian surface, targeting deposits of near-surface water ice.

NOMAD (Nadir and Occultation for MArs Discovery)

A spectrometer suite, covering a wide range of wavelengths (including infrared to ultraviolet), to identify the components of the Martian atmosphere.

Ground Segment Architecture Ground Segment Parties Science Ground SegmentTop Level Design

ExoMars 2016 Science Operations Centre Design

EXOMARS 2016 Science Ground Segment System Design

User

sPr

oces

sDa

taIn

terfa

ceUs

ers

Proc

ess

Inte

rface

Data Archiving Sub-System

PDS Bundle

Generation

PDS Bundle

Validation

SOC

PDS4 Raw Data Server

SAT

Data Delivery

Area

PDS Bundle

Ingestion

PDS Bundle Distribution

Planetary Science Archive

Science Community

PSA Public Interface

Retrieve Raw Data

Deliver Calibrated

Data

Deliver Derived

Data

Deliver RawData

Data Retrieval Interface Data Delivery Interface

Co-IPI

Archive Sub-System User Interface

SAT Interface

PI NNK

NNK

Data Mirror

DeepScience Archive

Science Community

Deep Archive Public Interface

Science Community

NNK Interface

TelemetryData Server

SGS Data Archiving Sub-System DesignSGS Data Handling: Acquisition and Processing System

EXOMARS 2016 Science Ground Segment System Design

Use

rIn

terf

ace

Pro

cess

Dat

aIn

terf

ace

Pro

cess

Use

r

Uplink System Architecture

Scheduling Planning

ObservationOpportunity

Windows

Science &Operational

Criteria

ObservationSchedule

Schedule Update

SOC

Planning Files

Plan Iterations &

Updates

PI

Define & Update Criteria

Opportunity Analysis

Define Geometrical Conditions

Operational Constraints

& Events

Event Definitions

Science Opportunity

Database

AuxiliaryGeometry

Information

MOC

GFTS/DDS/FTP

PlanSimulation

Simulation Products

Plan Simulation

PlanValidation

Validation Reports

Plan Validation

ESOC Product

Generation

PointingSequencesResources

ESOC Product Delivery

MOC

GFTS

TGO Science Operations Repository

Auxiliary Data

Conversion

Review Observation Opportunity

Windows

TGO WEB & Science Operations Repository

SGS Uplink System Architecture SGS Centralized Uplink Processes

Downlink System

*Feedback processes are considered “Optional/Enhanced Design”, and are not described here as they will not be implemented in the first stage. They are considered only here as non-critical processes that could extend the future SOC capabilities if available during the science phase of the mission.

System and Sub-System Functionalities