January, 2005 Copyright © Ecliptic Enterprises Corp., 2005. All Rights Reserved. Ecliptic...

Ecliptic Enterprises Corporation

RocketCamTM Digital Video System (DVS)

NASA GSFC THEMIS DVS

January 13, 2005David Yoel, Business Development Lead

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Agenda / Contents

Ecliptic Enterprises Corporate Overview RocketCam Objectives THEMIS Requirements Digital Video System Implementation

Ecliptic Enterprises

Employee/investor-owned small business in Pasadena, CA.

Extensive staff expertise in: Systems Engineering Electrical & RF Engineering (Systems and Hardware)

Staff has made significant contributions to ~45 space & launch projects (that resulted in something launched): Earth-orbiting and deep-space missions Shuttle-based missions/payloads Launch-vehicle development efforts …with numerous recognitions and awards (incl. a named asteroid)

Facilities for development/integration of small space systems

Ecliptic’s Business Focus

Ecliptic provides data-transport systems and

onboard imaging systems for use with

rockets, spacecraft and other remote platforms.

Bringing Space Home.When Your Mission Depends On It.

History of Success

Year Month Flight Vehicle Mission Result Cameras

2003 Apr 24 Titan IV Milstar 2-F4 Success 22003 Mar 23 Delta IV DSCS III-A3 Success 42002 Nov 22 Delta IV (Inaugural) Eutelsat W5 Success 22002 Oct 21 Shuttle/External Tank Atlantis/ISS 9A Success 12002 Aug 20 Atlas 5 (Inaugural) Eutelsat Hot Bird 6 Success 32002 Jan 19 Titan IV Milstar 2-F3 Success 22001 Dec 18 Delta II Jason and TIMED Success 12001 Sep 17 Atlas 2AS NRO MLV-12 Success 22001 Aug 16 Delta II Genesis Success 12001 Apr 15 Delta II Mars Odyssey Success 22000 Aug 14 Delta III Demo Mission DM-F3 Success 22000 Jul 13 Delta II GPS IIR-5 Success 12000 May 12 Atlas 3 (Inaugural) Eutelsat W4 Success 22000 Feb 11 Delta II Globalstar-7 Success 21999 Aug 10 Delta II Globalstar-6 Success 21999 Jul 9 Delta II Globalstar-5 Success 21999 Jun 8 Delta II FUSE Success 11999 Feb 7 Delta II Stardust Success 11999 Jan 6 Delta II Mars Polar Lander + DS2 Success 11998 Dec 5 Delta II Mars Climate Orbiter Success 11998 Sep 4 Delta II MS-10 Iridium Success 21998 Apr 3 Delta II Globalstar-2 Success 21998 Feb 2 Delta II Globalstar-1 Success 21997 Aug 1 Delta II ACE

(1st operational RocketCam)Success 2

1997 May 0 Delta II MS-1A Iridium(RocketCam demo)

Partial Success(premature turnoff)

1

RocketCam Spacecraft Missions

Selected for Use on Various Spacecraft (2004+):

Several additional spacecraft programs pending

Customer / Project Ecliptic-Supplied Equipment Status

Orbital

DART

Analog end-to-end system

(camera, transmitter, antenna)

2005Q1 Launch

Spectrum Astro

STP R-1

Digital Video System

(DVC, cameras, EGSE)

2005Q1 Launch

Spectrum Astro

NFIRE


(DVC, cameras, EGSE)

2006 Launch (pending)


Cameras Analog NTSC cameras In aerodynamic pods or not

Digital Video Controller Video data capture, compression,

storage, encryption Power supply, control, and

automatic sequencing Radio transmitter

Other Flight Equipment Antennas and cables

Ground System Equipment Preflight test and preparation (charging) equipment Ground stations Video data decompression, re-assembly, and distribution

THEMIS Mission

Five THEMIS probes attached to Probe Carrier

THEMIS Mission

68 Minutes After Launch in Eclipse

The 3rd stage is spun up to 15 ±2 RPM.

8 minutes later, the 3rd stage and fairing are jettisoned and probe deployment initiated.

During deployment, Probe A attached to the upper tier is separated first. Three seconds later Probes B, C, D and E are simultaneously separated from the lower tier.

THEMIS Mission

Deployment System

Marmon band held in tension by separation bolt threaded through a release spring.

Bolts severed at both ends by two pyrotechnic bolt cutters.

Separation springs located beneath each probe push probe forward and away

THEMIS DVS Application

Provide

Video confirmation of each bolt cutting event Video confirmation of probe deployments.

Constraints No natural lighting No real time downlink, DVS must store video and downlink after deployment Limited clearance between the Probe Carrier and Delta II payload fairing preclude the

attachment of a camera or other optical interface to the outboard ends of any of the lower deck platforms

Imaging Approaches

Line of Sight Upper Deck Probe A: Camera placed at the Probe Carrier bolted interface below the Probe Carrier Center Deck and pointed in the direction of the Probe A

separation system. Lower Deck Probes B, C, D and E

• Cameras attached to the inboard portion and bottom side of the lower deck platforms.• Cameras attached to the Probe Carrier Central Cylinder below the lower deck platforms.

Fiber Optic Various fiber optic imaging configurations to improve imaging over that obtained with line-of-sight means.

Proposed Baseline System

Baseline DVS

A DVS consisting of a multi-channel Digital Video Controller (DVC) and several ruggedized cameras with custom mounts.

This configuration is based on existing cameras and support electronics that will have been delivered to at least two other space flight programs before

the required need date.

Basic Digital Video Controller

Compressor Board 8-input video mux Wavelet compression rather than DCT

• Has no temporal compression artifacts (unlike MPEG-2)• Has better behavior at high compression than JPEG

CCSDS packetization w/ Reed-Solomon FEC Non-volatile memory for video data recording and playback Frames can be time-tagged using metadata.

Power Support Board (PSB) DC-DC converters (3.3 V primary; 5 V; 12 V for cameras) Load power switches (for 8 cameras, 4 lights) DVC command interpreter

• “Capture images from Camera 3 to storage.”• “Downlink last 10 minutes of stored video.”

DVC autonomous command sequencer

Camera is a Ruggedized COTS CCD-based Unit Selected for small size, and CCD and AGC performance. Ecliptic ruggedizes COTS unit using proprietary procedures. Output is analog NTSC. 70+ flight heritage.


Custom Camera Mount Based on Ecliptic Standard Bracket < 200 g (camera, lens, mount)

Standard Bracket can accommodate illumination source


DVC Mechanical

Chassis Boards housed in single 3U cPCI

chassis. Connectors: MIL-C-38999 circular

(L/V) or D-sub (S/C). Construction: machined 7075

aluminum, chem-filmed.

Envelope Footprint: 190 mm x 140 mm

(nominal) 230 mm (w/ circular connectors) x 160 mm (widest)

Height: ~ 20 mm * (n + 1); n = slots. 140 mm for 6-slot solution

Mass ~2.7 kg (compressor, power support, transmitter, battery, chassis, circular

connectors)

THEMIS Trade Study and Results

Trade Study Resources Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI), Satellite Tool Kit (STK) Separation

and Probe Deployment Animations STK Trajectory Animations

Focal Length

H V D[mm] [degree] [degree] [degree]3.5 107.0 80.0 125.86 57.8 44.1 71.512 30.0 22.4 37.325 14.3 10.7 17.950 7.2 5.4 9.0

FOV (full-angle)with 1/2" CCD

Camera Resolution and FOV With the Probe Carrier spinning, the lower

deck probes can only be imaged while in the FOV of a particular camera.

To maximize the length of time the probes fall within the FOV, all line-of-sight imaging configurations assume a 3.5mm lens and all fiber optic configurations assume equivalent focal length optical terminations


Video Confirmation of Bolt Cutters Actuation Line-of-sight imaging of any of the bolt cutters precluded Bolt cutter targets proposed

• Two thin, light and geometrically specific targets respectively attached to the brackets holding the bolt cutters in place.

• Operation of the bolt cutters can be positively inferred by motion of the targets


Line of sight Imaging Probe A Camera located at the interface of

the Probe Carrier Center Deck and the Probe B outer deck platform and pointed vertically in the direction of the Probe A separation system.

Provides an excellent view of the bolt cutter targets.

Direct imaging view of Probe A as it deploys is partially obstructed by the upper platform and its support structure

Probe Carrier

Probe BOuter Deck

Probe Carrier Center Deck

Camera


Line-Of-Sight Imaging, Probe B, C, D and E Inboard, Bottom Side of Outer

Deck, Pointed Radially.

Rejected because deployment trajectory includes a vertical component that exceeds the vertical viewing angle allowed by the platform


Line-Of-Sight Imaging, Probe B, C, D and E Attached to Probe Carrier Central Cylinder

Directly Below Outer Deck Platform, Pointed Toward Lower Deck Separation System.

Meets minimal requirements of confirming actuation of the bolt cutters and separation of the probes, although the quality of the separation imagery is diminished by the obstructions.


Line-Of-Sight Imaging, Probe B, C, D and E Attached To Central Cylinder, 45° from Platform


Line-Of-Sight Imaging, Probe B, C, D and E Attached To Central Cylinder, 45° from Platform

STK perspective image shows overlap of the FOV onto the platforms may not be sufficient to permit imaging of the bolt cutter targets. A variation on this approach, rotating the camera ~45° along its boresight to align the two bolt-cutter targets on the camera FOV diagonal, might provide adequate coverage..


Line-Of-Sight Imaging, Probe B, C, D and E Attached To Central Cylinder, 22.5° Clockwise from Platform



STK perspective image suggests that the overlap of the FOV onto the nearer platform may provide a good view of the bolt cutter targets while retaining a view of the probes in the remaining portion of the FOV.



STK animation suggests that this location offers an excellent view of the probe deployment but the view afforded of the bolt cutter targets is problematic.

With refinement of the camera placement, probably moving it closer to the strut, it is likely that a better view of the targets can be achieved while simultaneously imaging probe deployment.


Line-Of-Sight Imaging Conclusions Several line-of-sight camera locations were simulated using STK. Various locations were found to be workable, with varying degrees of image quality of the bolt cutter targets

and the separating probes. Generally, locations with the most promise appear to be on the Probe Carrier Central Cylinder displaced about 22.5° from the center of the platform. Additional simulations are expected to refine this location. The ultimate positioning of the cameras should be verified by experimentation on a spacecraft (cabling) mockup to

identify a location that provides very clear imaging of the bolt cutter targets, positive confirmation of probe separation, and publicly appealing views of the probes' departure.


7.5 Fiber Optic Imaging of Probes and Bolt Cutter Targets

Several fiber-optic configurations were investigated. Trades were conducted on two configurations utilizing bifurcated fiber-optic bundles.

0.65 seconds after

separationHorizontal FOV

Vertical FOV

Bolt Cutter Target Imaging Area

Probe Imaging Area, Reduced FOVFull FOV

0.65 seconds after

separationHorizontal FOV

Vertical FOV

Bifurcated bundles permit separate FOVs to optimize views of both probe deployment and bolt cutter actuation.


Fiber Optic Imaging of Probes and Bolt Cutter Targets

CameraBi-FurcatedFiber Optic

Bundle

Image LowerDeck Probe

Fiber Optic Co-Linear Bifurcation.

Fiber Optic Perpendicular Bifurcation.

Camera


Line-Of-Sight vs. Fiber Optics: Conclusions While the separate FOVs possible using bifurcated fiber optics permits the independent placement of the fiber bundles'

distal ends to provide optimized views of both probe deployment and bolt cutter actuation. The benefits of this approach are relatively modest compared with the lack of fiber optics flight heritage, Ecliptic’s general lack of familiarity and the consequent NRE and programmatic risk.


Lighting Distance from

the probes to the camera increases

Probe A departs at approximately 0.5 m/s while the lower deck probes depart at about 1.16 m/s.

Probe Displacement from Carrier

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Time (sec)

Dis

pla

ce

me

nt

(m)

Probe A

Probe B

Probe C

Probe D

Probe E


Lighting Ecliptic12 Volt Solid State

Illuminator Current switching

limitation of Power Support Board requires 28 Volt version.


Lighting, Ecliptic 12 Volt Solid State Illuminator: Qualitative Evaluation for THEMIS Simple setup created to evaluate Ecliptic solid state illuminator for

THEMIS. • 50 cm by 55 cm (H x W) cardboard panel covered with white paper and strips

of foil tape to represent the light colored painted surfaces and the reflective surfaces respectively of a THEMIS probe.

• Distance to the panel was increased in 1-meter increments from 1 meter to 4 meters, roughly corresponding to the lower deck probes' displacement during the first 4 seconds after deployment.

Test camera used an available 6 mm lens was set to f1.4. The lowest f-stop of the proposed 3.5 mm wide-angle lens is f1.8, so the resulting images expected to be slightly dimmer.


Lighting, Ecliptic 12 Volt Solid State Illuminator: Qualitative Evaluation for THEMIS

Still images captured from recorded video.

Note that in the far-field pictures, the auto-gain of the cameras is being affected by the illumination of the facility walls, artificially reducing the recorded brightness of the target (relative to how it would be exposed in the real application.

1 Meter 2 Meters

3 Meters 4 Meters


Lighting, Ecliptic12 Volt Solid State Illuminator: Conclusions Ecliptic solid-state (LED-based) illuminator provides sufficient artificial light to be used with

Ecliptic RocketCam cameras. A derivative of this product will be needed to permit the Power Support Board to satisfy the

requirement to support multiple cameras and lighting simultaneously and to be compatible with the mounting needs of THEMIS


Channel Count Lower deck probes deployed at the same time

• Video from the lower tier cameras need to be processed simultaneously. DVC must incorporate at least four channels of video compression and processing. Top probe deployed axially

• Probe A well clear of the Probe Carrier when lower tier probes are deployed.• Not susceptible to re-contact caused by instabilities in the Probe Carrier due to any anomalies associated with deployment of the bottom probes.

Short 2 to 2.5 second video of of Probe A sufficient to confirm successful deployment, permitting one of the required lower deck channels to be shared with Probe A


Four Channel DVC ED363131 Video Compressor Board converts input analog video to digital format; compresses and records the digital video data to flash memory. ED363151 Serial Digital I/O Board used to merge signals from four compression channels into a single serial data steam for input to a transmitter for

downlink. ED363121 Power Support Board obtains 28V from battery, provides 12V and distributes power selectively to the cameras, illuminators and support

electronics, sequences events’ communicates housekeeping and other telemetry information via I/O board to the ground. Entire set of electronics housed in an ED366116, 6 slot, cPCI chassis which will be mounted on the underside of one of the lower deck platforms.


Four Channel DVC and TX/Battery Assemblies


DVC Sequencing Probe A bolt cutter/deployment confirmation:

• Upon SECO or some other precise event, a trigger is communicated to the DVC via an opto-coupled discrete, which starts an internal sequence. This sequence turns on power to the support electronics, illuminators and cameras, and configures the DVC for image capture.

• About 1 second prior to the deployment of Probe A, its video data stream is enabled. Probe A video data is then acquired for 2 to 2.5 seconds and stored in the onboard memory of the selected channel.

Probes B, C, D E bolt cutters/deployment confirmations:• After acquisition and storage of data from the Probe A camera, lower tier camera selected to share this processing channel. • Video data obtained simultaneously from each of the lower tier cameras imaging the lower tier probes for 10 to 15 seconds


DVC Playback

Playback of the acquired data can commence immediately or during a pre-programmed time interval to coincide with best access to a tracking station.

Two playbacks at different data rates are baselined to provide downlink margin. • The two playbacks can be pre-programmed or initiated by the host TT&C via another of the opto-coupled discrete inputs. • The system could also accommodate additional playbacks based on uplinked commands


DVS Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Ecliptic ED368320 GSE provides support to the DVC in both test

and operational environments. Standard Pentium 4 class personal computer with Windows XP

Professional and a PCI synchronous serial card to receive the high-speed data from the DVC. The GSE utilizes the Ground Support Equipment Operating System (GSEOS).

Host Interaction 6 opto-isolated discrete inputs available in DVC, each of which

can initiate a pre-programmed sequence.

Stored Data Based on the four channel DVS configuration and about record

times, a total of about 250 Mb will be captured from the 5 cameras and stored in non-volatile memory. This data volume computation is shown in the following table


ProbeCameras

Record Time(seconds/each)

Data Volume

A 2 seconds 2 s * 4 Mb/s = 8 Mb

B, C, D and E 15 seconds 15 s * 4 Mb/s/channel * 4 channels = 240 Mb

Link Budget


Range to the USN remote ground station (RGS) in South Point, Hawaii at separation


Link Budget

During the 150 s following separation, Probe Carrier and probes have a relatively constant range, supporting a relatively high data rate.

With a 2W transmitter and BPSK only (no Reed-Solomon or Viterbi error correction), a data rate of 2000 kbps can be supported, which allows the complete 250 Mb of stored data to be downlinked in 130 seconds.

THEMIS Range from South Point

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

5500

6000

-180

-120 -60 0 60 120

180

240

300

360

420

480

540

600

660

720

780

840

900

960

Separation-Relative Time (s)

Ran

ge

(km

)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Da

ta R

ate

(k

bp

s)

By dropping the data rate down to 500 kbps, the entire load can be transmitted a second time in 520 seconds,

The data rate as a function of time is shown in the plot by the solid orange line. This strategy provides data transport robustness through dual-redundant data

transmission.


DVS Self-Powering

Battery capacity required to support THEMIS DVS event specific power profiles are satisfied by Ecliptic's standard 50 watt-hour battery

Event ComponentsPowered

Component Power

(W)

Qty Total ComponentPower

(W)

Total Power

(W)

Event Duration

(hr)

Total Energy(W-hr)

Pre-launch PSB Only 3 1 3.0 3.0 2.0 * 6.0

Launch to Separation

PSB Only 3 1 3.0 3.0 1.3 3.9

Image Acquisition DVC, Cameras, Illuminators

A/R A/R 48.7(17 sec. avg.)

48.7 0.005 0.2

Downlink(665 seconds)

DVC 18 1 18.0 43.0 0.18 7.9

Transmitter 25 1 25.0

Total Load 18.0

Power Conversion Overhead (33%) 6.0

Margin (100%) 24.0

Total Battery Energy Requirement 48.0

* Note: Pre-launch event duration (DVC disconnected from GSE charger) is estimated to be 2 hours


Mass and Balance The proposed DVC will be housed in a chassis that can accommodate up four compression channels. The battery and transmitter will be housed in a cPCI, 3 slot, chassis to be mounted on the underside of the lower

deck platform opposite to that on which the DVC is mounted to provide for a mass balance.


Mass and Balance

Including the battery and illuminators the DVS will weigh less than 9.8 kg consisting of the following components whose approximated weights are shown below.

Mass of Component (kg)

Qty Required

Total Mass (kg)

ED360300 RocketCam Camera 0.2 5 1.0

ED363131 Video Compressor Board 0.17 4 0.7

ED363151 Serial Digital I/O Board 0.2 1 0.2

ED363121 Power Support Board 0.3 1 0.3

ED366116 Chassis, cPCI, 6 slot 1.0 1 1.0

ED361215 S-Band Transmitter 1.0 1 1.0

ED362125 Battery 2.0 1 2.0

ED366113 Chassis, cPCI, 3 slot 1.0 1 1.0

ED360716 Solid State Illuminator 0.3 5 1.5

Power Splitter 0.2 1 0.2

Antennas 0.1 2 0.2

Total CBE 9.1


Mechanical Interface

The DVC chassis can be mounted on the bottom side of one of the platforms via an adapter plate as shown below.

The chassis containing the transmitter and battery will be mounted in a similar fashion on the platform opposite to that of the DVC .

Attachment

Connectorbracket mount

(3 points)

Electrical Componentmount

(4 points)

MountingPads (qty 4)

C-channel

T-beam ribs

Outside area locally thickened between strut blocks and nearest boss

GSE Attachment

Camera Mounting

Area

Connectorbracket mount

(3 points)

Electrical Componentmount

(4 points)

MountingPads (qty 4)

C-channel

T-beam ribs



GSE Attachment

Camera Mounting

Area

Adapter Plate

ED366116 Chassis, cPCI, 6 slot chassis


Recommendations Bolt Cutter Targets Ecliptic standard cameras Line-of-sight imaging of the upper deck bolt cutter targets and Probe A deployment

provided by a camera located at the interface of the Probe Carrier center deck and the Probe B outer deck pointed vertically in the direction of the Probe A separation system.

Line of sight imaging of the lower deck bolt cutter targets and probes provided by camera placements on the Probe Carrier Central Cylinder. (The exact location and orientation to be further refined to optimize the simultaneous imaging of the probes and bolt cutter targets within the same line-of-sight FOV.)

Ecliptic solid state illuminators DVC Self-powered Dedicated RF Subsystem


Programmatics Almost no NRE Mostly standard Ecliptic products with the exception of:

• New mounts to be designed and fabricated for the selected locations.

• 28 Volt Illuminator based on current 12 volt version NRE tasks can proceed in parallel to the build of the DVC Integration and test to support delivery of the system within 180 days ARO

January, 2005 Copyright © Ecliptic Enterprises Corp., 2005. All Rights Reserved. Ecliptic...

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Transcript of January, 2005 Copyright © Ecliptic Enterprises Corp., 2005. All Rights Reserved. Ecliptic...