Satellite Ground Operations

Printed: August 25, 1999 saved: 8/25/99 9:28 AMOverviewThis grant, Intelligent Command and Control Systems for Satellite Ground Operations, funded by NASAGoddard Space Flight Center, has spanned almost a decade. During this time, it has supported a broadrange of research addressing the changing needs of NASA operations. It is important to note that many ofNASA's evolving needs, for example, use of automation to drastically reduce (e.g., 70%) operations costs,are similar requirements in both government and private sectors.Initially the research addressed the appropriate use of emerging and inexpensive computationaltechnologies, such as X Windows, graphics, and color, together with COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf)hardware and software such as standard Unix workstations to re-engineer satellite operations centers. Thefirst phase of research supported by this grant explored the development of principled designmethodologies to make effective use of emerging and inexpensive technologies. The ultimate performancemeasures for new designs were whether or not they increased system effectiveness while decreasing costs.GT-MOCA (The Georgia Tech Mission Operations Cooperative Associate) and GT-VITA (GeorgiaTech Visual and Inspectable Tutor and Assistant), whose latter stages were supported by this research,explored model-based design of collaborative operations teams and the design of intelligent tutoringsystems, respectively. Implemented in proof-of-concept form for satellite operations, empirical evaluationsof both, using satellite operators for the former and personnel involved in satellite control operations for thelatter, demonstrated unequivocally the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed modeling and designstrategy underlying both research efforts. The proof-of-concept implementation of GT-MOCA showed thatthe methodology could specify software requirements that enabled a human-computer operations team toperform without any significant performance differences from the standard two-person satellite operationsteam.GT-VITA, using the same underlying methodology, the operator function model (OFM), and itscomputational implementation, OFMspert, successfully taught satellite control knowledge required byflight operations team members. The tutor structured knowledge in three ways: declarative knowledge(e.g., What is this? What does it do?), procedural knowledge, and operational skill. Operational skill isessential in real-time operations. It combines the two former knowledge types, assisting a student to usethem effectively in a dynamic, multi-tasking, real-time operations environment. A high-fidelity simulatorof the operator interface to the ground control system, including an almost full replication of both thehuman-computer interface and human interaction with the dynamic system, was used in the GT-MOCAand GT-VITA evaluations. The GT-VITA empirical evaluation, conducted with a range of 'novices' thatincluded GSFC operations management, GSFC operations software developers, and new flight operationsteam members, demonstrated that GT-VITA effectively taught a wide range of knowledge in a succinct andengaging manner.As technology infusion became a standard part of GSFC satellite ground control operations, theresearch focus of this grant turned to address development and enhancement of methodologies to designfinal.rpt.8.99 2