Moblas 8 Return to Operations 16 th International Laser Ranging Instrumentation Workshop Poznan,...

Moblas 8 Return to Operations

16th International Laser Ranging Instrumentation Workshop

Poznan, Poland

October 16, 2008

Scott Wetzel, Howard Donovan, Dennis McCollums, Thomas Oldham, Don Patterson, Alice Nelson, Michael Heinick

Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc. Lanham, MD USA 20706`

David Carter, Curtis EmersonNASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 453, Greenbelt, MD, USA 20771

216th International Laser Ranging Instrumentation WorkshopPoznan, Poland

Abstract

• The MOBLAS 8 station located on the island of Tahiti has been operational at that location since 1997. Recently, in 2007, the station suffered from multiple failures of components and subsystems. Due to the changeover of station personnel and the removal of HTSI from the island to help with the operations and maintenance in 2004, the multiple failures of the system caused the MOBLAS 8 system to be inoperable in March 2007. Working closely with NASA, CNES, and UFP, HTSI developed a training plan for the station manager from the Moblas 8 site as well as the TLRS-3 station manager from Arequipa, Peru. Following the training back at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland, the MOBLAS 8 Station Manager worked with HTSI personnel to repair subsystems and components at GSFC. Later, two HTSI engineers traveled to the MOBLAS 8 station to work with the Station Manager and the UFP and CNES crew to complete the system and site repairs, resulting in the restart of operations at this critical site in the South Pacific. This paper chronicles the work that was planned and executed along with the benefits to the NASA, UFP, CNES and the ILRS with the repairs and efforts to return the station to operations.


Moblas 8 Background

• Moblas 8 was re-deployed from Quincy, CA to Papeete, Tahiti French Polynesia in 1997 as part of NASA’s Cooperating SLR program.

• Prior to the start of operations, the original French station manager was trained on SLR operations and maintenance in Maryland.

• HTSI technical staff was periodically stationed at Moblas 8 from 1997 to 2003.• HTSI technical staff finally departed in 2003. • Between crew turnover and no permanent HTSI presence, no solid technical

knowledge of Moblas O&M remained on station.• Through multiple failures the system went off-line with major MPACS • issues in 2007.


Moblas 8 Timeline 1997 - 2001

MOBLAS 8 Timeline

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

600019

97-0

1

1997

-04

1997

-07

1997

-10

1998

-01

1998

-04

1998

-07

1998

-10

1999

-01

1999

-04

1999

-07

1999

-10

2000

-01

2000

-04

2000

-07

2000

-10

2001

-01

2001

-04

2001

-07

2001

-10

# N

orm

al P

oin

ts

HEO

Lageos

LEO

Air Conditioner

GPS Power SupplyController Computer/Monitor

Laser

MPACSRadar Replacement

High VoltagePower Supply

Gating Module

MPACS

Olivier Charade Training at GGAO

Olivier Charade (Training at Quincy

MOBLAS 8 Arrival in TahitiOlivier Charade Station Manager

HTSI - George Davisson and Mel Sigman arrive on station for station setup

George Davisson leaves stationMel Sigman stays as HTSI rep

Mel Sigman leaves George Davisson returns to station

George Davisson leaves

George Davisson returns to station

Olivier Charade leavesNicholas Blanchard Station Manager

Tahiti Personnel

Station down / Repairs

HTSI Personnel


Moblas 8 Timeline 2002-2006

MOBLAS 8 Timeline

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

600020

02-0

1

2002

-04

2002

-07

2002

-10

2003

-01

2003

-04

2003

-07

2003

-10

2004

-01

2004

-04

2004

-07

2004

-10

2005

-01

2005

-04

2005

-07

2005

-10

2006

-01

2006

-04

2006

-07

2006

-10

2007

-01

# o

f N

orm

al P

oin

ts

HEO

Lageos

LEO

George Davisson retiresKen Tribble Arrives

Ken Tribble and HTSI leave station

Nicholas Blanchard leavesKeitapu Maamaatuaiahutapu Station ManagerYannick Vota (lead technician) arrives

Keitapu Maamaatuaiahutapu leavesGuilhem Barruol Station Manager Guilhem Barruol leaves

SafetyInterlock

MPACS

High VoltagePower Supply

CircuitBreaker

Nimbin PowerSupply

HP5370

Laser SHG

PhotodiodeBatteries

Receive CableTranslator Alignment

Discriminator

Radar

MPACS

MPACS

Laser HeadCable

ProcessorComputer

Radar

AirConditioner

RadarPower Supply

ControllerComputer

LaserOscillator

RadarController

Tahiti Personnel


HTSI Personnel


Moblas 8 Timeline 2007-2008

MOBLAS-8 Timeline

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

2007

-04

2007

-05

2007

-06

2007

-07

2007

-08

2007

-09

2007

-10

2007

-11

2007

-12

2008

-01

2008

-02

2008

-03

2008

-04

2008

-05

2008

-06

2008

-07

2008

-08

2008

-09

# N

orm

al P

oin

ts

HEO

Lageos

LEO

HTSI -Dennis McCollums and Tom Oldham arrive

Tahiti Personnel


HTSI Personnel

Controller Computer UpgradeProcessor / Controller Software

MPACS

Yannick Vota Training at GCP and GGAO

MPACS Repair

Station Inspection / Major Facilities Repair & Maintenance / System Repair / Utility PowerInspection & Repair / Station & Spares Inventory

MPACS Repair and Install

OAM Repair

Laser Chiller Repair

Crystal Saturable Absorber installation

Dennis McCollums and Tom Oldham leave

Crew Training for Station Ops / Facilities Maintenance / System Repair / New Laser / New Computer

OAM

OAM Repair

UPS Installation


Repairs, Optimizations & Alignments Performed

• In February 2008, the Station Manager traveled to HTSI for intensive training on subsystem, and component level repair and operations.

• Beginning in March 2008 HTSI sent two engineers to Moblas 8 to perform system repairs, upgrades and on-site training to the crew.

• Repairs to the system included:

- Main system power cable, system ground cable, laser high voltage cables, laser main power cables.

- Low loss Receive Signal cable evaluation and replacement

- OAM, Daylight filter, ranging camera, MET-3

- Optics repair/replacement and alignment

- MPACS

- Radar

- HP5370B TIU

- Console issues

- Laser Chiller

- Spares restocking

- Multiple power supplies

- Facilities repair and maintenance, including HVAC and all trailers

•


• Upgrades performed to the system included:

-Saturable Absorber

-Controller Computer including all software

-Processor Computer software including Restricted Tracking, data processing, and CPF

-Laser head cables

-High Voltage power supply

-O-scope

System Upgrades Performed


• Returned system to full operations following no operations for 18 months due to hardware failures•Overall system performance was verified by performing

LEO and MEO satellite passes, as well as performing several stability, CFD, and TIU verification tests. - Data quality was nominal with calibrations 4 – 5 mm RMS

- LAGEOS passes 8 – 9 mm RMS. One LAGEOS pass netted 5,600 hundred returns with 8.3 mm RMS.

- For the first time since 2003, tracked a HEO satellite the week of 9/29/08, the GLONASS 109, obtaining RMS values 10 – 15 mm.

• Number of observations per pass increased dramatically• Crew now better trained with Station Manager receiving

additional “hands on” training in Maryland

Results of the Repair / Upgrade Effort


Post Effort Look at the Data - LAGEOS

MOBLAS-8 Lageos6/18/2008

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

9:14 9:21 9:28 9:36 9:43 9:50 9:57 10:04 10:12

Res

(m

m)

Residuals

Normal Pts

CAL TGT OBS ACPTD REJ ITR RMS (CM) DELAY (NS) SHIFT (NS) SHIFT (CM)

PRE B 1005 1002 3 2 0.39 109.470POST B 1002 996 6 2 0.35 109.441COMB B 2007 1997 10 4 0.43 -0.030 -0.443

rej rej Sat station date time #obs bins bins obs sig(mm) skew kurtos 7603901 71240802 06/18/08 09:18 6102 23 0 70 7.9943 0.1432 2.90


Post Effort Look at the Data - Jason

MOBLAS-8 Jason6/18/2008

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

10:55 10:56 10:58 10:59 11:00 11:02 11:03 11:05 11:06 11:08

Res

(m

m)

Residuals

Normal Pts

CAL TGT OBS ACPTD REJ ITR RMS (CM) DELAY (NS) SHIFT (NS) SHIFT (CM)

PRE B 1007 1000 7 2 0.34 109.439POST B 1004 997 7 2 0.33 109.437COMB B 2011 1997 14 2 0.34 -0.002 -0.035

rej rej Sat station date time #obs bins bins obs sig(mm) skew kurtos 0105501 71240802 06/18/08 10:57 900 43 0 17 6.8498 0.1124 2.86


Items Remaining to Complete

• Repair, align, and verify the Radar subsystem• Repair and verify HSLR and HEO

tracking abilities• Verify system testing of the spare

HP5370B TIU• Verify tracking oscilloscope EC• Assist with the new chiller

installation• Receive / review / provide feed

back on the revised CNES design proposal for the HVAC system• Complete the V Plate upgrade for

the mount lower / upper revolution switch


Paradise is Getting Crowded !

Moblas 8 Return to Operations 16 th International Laser Ranging Instrumentation Workshop Poznan,...

Documents

Transcript of Moblas 8 Return to Operations 16 th International Laser Ranging Instrumentation Workshop Poznan,...