Review of the Space Communications Program of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate (2007) / Chapter Skim
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8 Technology
8 Technology
Pages 56-61
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From page 56... ...
Since space communicait will be doing when it gets there. Table 8.1 shows notional tions is in fact a critical function for any space mission, data rates for various communications services.2 NASA's investment is further only a portion of the overall NASA has chosen to divide the Technology element into technology investment in this area, with the Department of six areas: optical communications, uplink arraying, space Defense (DOD)
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From page 57... ...
NRT 2 20 Mbps 40 Mbps Hyperspectral imaging 1 day 1 150 Mbps 150 Mbps Robotic rovers Surface radar 1 day 1 100 Mbps 100 Mbps Hyperspectral imaging 1 day 1 150 Mbps 150 Mbps Science orbiters Orbiting radar 1 day 2 100 Mbps 200 Mbps Hyperspectral imaging 1 day 2 150 Mbps 300 Mbps SOURCE: John Rush and Dan Williams, NASA, NASA Communication and Navigation Technology Capability Portfolio, August 19, 2005. TABLE 8.2 Technology Area Relationship to Destinations Technology Areas Spacecraft Programmable Capability Optical Uplink Radio Communications Plug-and-Play Support Areas Communications Arraying Frequency Systems Navigation Interoperability Launch X X X Earth orbit X X X X Transit X X X X X X Lunar X X X X X Mars X X X X X X Solar system and beyond X X X X X X SOURCE: John Rush and Dan Williams, NASA, NASA Communication and Navigation Technology Capability Portfolio, August 19, 2005.
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From page 58... ...
However, as agement Council, NASA has acknowledged the need for its NASA itself has acknowledged,9 the technology element space communications technology development to become managed by the SCO has little insight into the overall NASA a coordinated multicenter effort that spans all of NASA. funding of communications technology efforts, creating a A specific program plan document has not been written disconnect in this technology portfolio determination pro- for the technology element.
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From page 59... ...
Although the level of information provided did not allow the committee to assess whether the facilities and per Finding: Examples of specific technology development plans sonnel to support the technology element are adequate or if provided by NASA to the committee exhibited the characterand how the personnel issues are being addressed, the com istics of a sound technology planning process; however, mittee agrees that this is a comprehensive top-level list. How there was evidence suggesting that such a process was not ever, it is difficult to see how the leadership of the SCO can applied uniformly to all of the projects, with the most obviinfluence this large list beyond its organizational boundaries ous being the inability of NASA to provide this data for all of without more formal interagency relationships and increased the projects in the SCO technology element portfolio.
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From page 60... ...
The priate to the level of the project, but even performing a lowfollowing recommendation is not new to NASA, having been fidelity analysis for the lowest-level project is important as suggested by the NRC in a previous report.16 opposed to conducting no analysis at all. A recommendation for improving NASA's systems analysis capability as a tool Recommendation: The Space Communications Office should for technology portfolio management is not new, having been offered before.17 establish a formal external peer review process that would assess all aspects of the technology program element, including task selection, progress toward goals, and assess- Recommendation: To support technology investment deciment of final results.
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From page 61... ...
As has been recommended by the NRC to NASA previously,18 performing systems analysis at decisions back up to architectures that are designed to meet mission requirements -- which in turn are determined by the all levels of the technology portfolio, uniformly executing missions selected as a part of NASA's strategic plan -- is a the strategic management process outlined, and effectively good approach, but it needs to be applied uniformly so that using external peer review can all be methods to ensure sucall technology projects have this top-to-bottom linkage. This cessful technology development.
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