2012 NASA Range Safety Annual Report This 2012 Range Safety Annual Report is produced by virtue of funding and support from the following: Terrence W. Wilcutt, Chief Safety and Mission Assurance NASA Headquarters Michael Dook, Headquarters Range Safety Program Executive NASA Headquarters Robert D. Cabana Director, Kennedy Space Center Russell Romanella Director, Safety and Mission Assurance Russ Deloach Deputy Director, Safety and Mission Assurance 2 Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 7 II. AGENCY RANGE SAFETY PROGRAM ................................................................................ 8 A. Range Safety Training 2012 ............................................................................................... 8 1. Updates to the Range Safety Training Program .............................................................. 9 2. Joint Advanced Range Safety System (JARSS) Training for NASA Centers ................. 15 B. Development, Implementation, Support of Range Safety Policy ....................................... 15 1. Agency Policy Update ................................................................................................... 15 2. Range Commanders Council (RCC) Range Safety Group (RSG) ................................. 16 C. Independent Assessments ............................................................................................... 17 Ill. PROGRAM/PROJECT SUPPORT ...................................................................................... 19 A. Human Exploration Range Safety Panel (HERSP) ........................................................... 19 B. Commercial Crew Program (CCP) ................................................................................... 19 C. Morpheus Project. ............................................................................................................ 19 D. Space Launch System (SLS) ........................................................................................... 20 E. Multipurpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) ................................................................................. 20 F. Ground System Development and Operations (GSD0) .................................................... 20 IV. EMERGING TECHNOLOGY .............................................................................................. 21 A. NASA Autonomous Flight Safety System (AFSS) ............................................................ 21 1. Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) ............................................................. 21 2. Reusable Flyback Booster ............................................................................................ 21 3. Code Standardization ................................................................................................... 21 B. Joint Advanced Range Safety System (JARSS) ............................................................... 21 1. Population Data Ingest Improvement ............................................................................ 21 2. OTV-2 Support .............................................................................................................. 22 3. AFSS Configuration ...................................................................................................... 22 4. Forward Work ............................................................................................................... 23 V. STATUS REPORTS ............................................................................................................ 24 A. NASA Headquarters ......................................................................................................... 24 B. Ames Research Center (ARC) ......................................................................................... 25 1. Bat-4 UAS mission to Sugarloaf Shores, FL (May 13-24, 2012) .................................... 25 2. Sensor Integrated Environmental Remote Research Aircraft (SIERRA) UAS mission to Surprise Valley, CA (31 Aug- 7 Sep, 2012) ...................................................................... 26 3. SIERRA UAS mission to Key West, FL (Oct 11-23, 2012) ............................................ 27 C. Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) ........................................................................... 27 3 1. Enhanced Flight Termination System (EFTS) ............................................................... 28 2. DRFC/AFTC Range Safety Alliance .............................................................................. 28 D. Johnson Space Center (JSC) .......................................................................................... 32 1. Human Exploration Range Safety Panel (HERSP) ........................................................ 32 2. Morpheus ...................................................................................................................... 32 3. Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Ascent Abort 2 (AA-2) Flight Test. ....................... 33 4. MPCV Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) ....................................................................... 33 E. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) ......................................................................................... 33 1. Rocket University .......................................................................................................... 33 2. Space Florida Balloon Operations ................................................................................. 36 3. Morpheus Operations ................................................................................................... 37 4. Range Architecture Study ............................................................................................. 38 5. Launch Operations Support .......................................................................................... 39 F. Langley Research Center (LaRC) .................................................................................... 39 1. LaRC Range Safety and sUAS Operation Oversight. .................................................... 39 2. FY 2012 sUAS Flight Projects ...................................................................................... .40 G. Stennis Space Center (SCC) .......................................................................................... .47 1. Engine Testing .............................................................................................................. 47 2. Center Innovation Funding ............................................................................................ 48 3. Application for Air Range Information and Notification (AARIN) ................................... .48 4. Special Use Airspace .................................................................................................... 48 5. Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles - Certificate of Authority ................................................... .48 H. Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) .......................................................................................... .49 1. Expendable Launch Vehicle Support ........................................................................... .49 2. Sounding Rocket Program Office (SRPO) .................................................................... 50 3. Balloon Program Office (BPO) ...................................................................................... 51 4. WFF Aircraft Office ..................................._ . ................................................................... 52 SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 53 4 Table of Figures FIGURE 1: TOTAL NUMBER OF CLASSES AND STUDENTS TAUGHT ................................. 8 FIGURE 2: 2012 NRS PROGRAM FUNDED COURSES ........................................................... 8 FIGURE 3: COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM FUNDED COURSES ....................................... 9 FIGURE 4: RANGE SAFETY ORIENTATION COURSE OUTLINE ......................................... 10 FIGURE 5: CURRENT FSA COURSE OUTLINE ..................................................................... 11 FIGURE 6: NEW FSA COURSE OUTLINE .............................................................................. 12 FIGURE 7: RANGE FLIGHT SAFETY SYSTEMS COURSE OUTLINE ................................... 13 FIGURE 8: RANGE SAFETY OPERATIONS COURSE OUTLINE .......................................... 14 FIGURE 9: JARSS TRAINING EXAMPLE SCENARI0 ............................................................ 15 FIGURE 10: POTENTIAL SIERRA OPERATIONS AT ARC .................................................... 15 FIGURE 11: OTV-2 POST LANDING ATVAFB ....................................................................... 22 FIGURE 12: JARSS USER INTERFACE FOR FLIGHT ANALYSIS ......................................... 22 FIGURE 13: EASTERN RANGE AND KWAJALEIN (KMR) MISSILE RANGE SUPPORTED BY KSC IN 2012 ........................................................................................................ 25 FIGURE 14: BAT-4 UAS .......................................................................................................... 25 FIGURE 15: SIERRA ON THE AMES RESEARCH CENTER RAMP ....................................... 26 FIGURE 16: SIERRA ON THE RAMP AT CEDARVILLE AIRPORT IN SURPRISE VALLEY, CA ............................................................................................................................ 26 FIGURE 17: SIERRA ON THE KEY WEST NAVAL AIR STATION RAMP ............................... 27 FIGURE 18: DRYDEN REMOTELY OPERATED INTEGRATED DRONES (DROID) .............. 28 FIGURE 19: BLENDED WING BODY LOW SPEED VEHICLE ................................................ 29 FIGURE 20: NASA GLOBAL HAWK ........................................................................................ 29 FIGURE 21: GLOBAL HAWKS AERIAL REFUELING ............................................................. 30 FIGURE 22: NASA'S IKHANA UAS ......................................................................................... 30 FIGURE 23: BOEING PHANTOM EYE .................................................................................... 31 FIGURE 24: DREAM CHASER ................................................................................................ 31 FIGURE 25: LOCKHEED MARTIN X-56A ............................................................................... 32 FIGURE 26: MORPHEUS TEST FIRING ................................................................................. 32 FIGURE 27: MULTI-PURPOSE CREW VEHICLE ................................................................... 33 FIGURE 28: NEAR-SPACE ENVIRONMENT LABS PAYLOAD .............................................. 34 FIGURE 29: MARAIA PAYLOAD AT ALTITUDE ..................................................................... 34 FIGURE 30: UAS TRAINING VEHICLE ................................................................................... 35 FIGURE 31: SMALL SCALE ROCKET .................................................................................... 35 FIGURE 32: SMALL SCALE ROCKET DEPLOYING CHUTE .................................................. 36 FIGURE 33: SCIENTIFIC BALLOON RELEASE ...................................................................... 37 FIGURE 34: MORPHEUS TETHERED FLIGHT AT KSC ......................................................... 37 5 FIGURE 35: HAZARD LANDING FIELD AT KSC SLF ............................................................. 38 FIGURE 36: AIRSTAR BAT-4 EXPERIMENTAL TEST-BED BEING FLOWN BY AN EXTERNAL PILOT IN RC MODE WITHIN VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT ................... 40 FIGURE 37: AIRSTAR REMOTE INTERNAL PILOT AND GLASS COCKPIT CONFIGURATION LOCATED INSIDE THE MOS .............................................. .41 FIGURE 38: AIRSTAR REMOTE INTERNAL PILOT AND CONOPS FOR BEYOND VISUAL RANGE (BVR) OF SIGHT RESEARCH OPERATIONS ...................................... .42 FIGURE 39: FLIGHT CONTROL TEST-BED (FLIC) BEING PREPARED FOR NIGHT FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION AT 31VA IN THE NAS ......................................................... 43 FIGURE 40: GROUND STATION OPERATOR (LEFT) MONITORS FLIC POSITION IN FLIGHT AND VEHICLE ON RUNWAY (RIGHT) DURING BACK TAXI AFTER A SUCCESSFUL NIGHT FLIGHT OPERATION ..................................................... 43 FIGURE 41: SUAVELAB RESEARCH TEAM WITH THREE TEST BED CONCEPTS THAT WERE FLIGHT TESTED AT FT. A. P. HILL, VIRGINIA ...................................... 44 FIGURE 42: AIRSHIP CONFIGURATION AND DIMENSIONS ............................................... .45 FIGURE 43: PICTURE OF THE 12-CELL SOLAR PANELS BEING ATTACHED TO THE POLYURETHANE ENVELOPE WITH HOOK AND LOOP STRIPS .................... .45 FIGURE 44: VIDEO SCENE OF THE INDOOR FLIGHT TEST OF THE SOLAR AIRSHIP ..... .46 FIGURE 45: FULLY ASSEMBLED SOLAR AIRSHIP WAITING FOR FLIGHT TEST SECURED TO TIE DOWN STRUCTURE .............................................................................. 46 FIGURE 46: EDGE 540T 33% SUBSCALE VEHICLE BEING FLOWN AT FINNEGAN FIELD, FT. A. P. HILL, VIRGINIA .................................................................................. .46 FIGURE 47: TEST STAND AT STENNIS SPACE CENTER ................................................... .48 FIGURE 48: RAVEN UAV ........................................................................................................ 49 FIGURE 49: PUMA UAV .......................................................................................................... 49 FIGURE 50: WASP UAV. ......................................................................................................... 49 FIGURE 51: ANTARES LAUNCH VEHICLE ........................................................................... .49 FIGURE 52: ATREX MISSION PRELAUNCH TESTING .......................................................... 50 FIGURE 53: ATREX TIME-LAPSE .......................................................................................... 50 FIGURE 54: STRATOSPHERIC TERAHERTZ OBSERVATORY (STO) LAUNCH .................. 51 FIGURE 55: SUPER PRESSURE BALLOON .......................................................................... 51 FIGURE 56: NASA GLOBAL HAWK ........................................................................................ 52 FIGURE 57: NASA GLOBAL HAWK TOUCHDOWN ............................................................... 52 6 I. INTRODUCTION Welcome to the 2012 edition of the NASA Range Safety Annual Report. Funded by NASA Headquarters, this report provides a NASA Range Safety (NRS) overview for current and potential range users. This report contains articles which cover a variety of subject areas, summaries of various NASA Range Safety Program (RSP) activities performed during the past year, links to past reports, and information on several projects that may have a profound impact on the way business will be conducted in the future. Specific topics discussed in the 2012 NASA Range Safety Annual Report include a program overview and 2012 highlights; Range Safety Training; Independent Assessments; Support to Program Operations at all ranges conducting NASA launch/flight operations; a continuing overview of emerging range safety-related technologies; and status reports from all of the NASA Centers that have Range Safety responsibilities. Every effort has been made to include the most current information available. We recommend this report be used only for guidance and that the validity and accuracy of all articles be verified for updates. Once again, this web-based format is used to present the annual report. We hope you find the contents informative and the layout intuitive. As is the case each year, we had a wide variety of contributors to this report from across our NASA Centers, the Department of Defense (DoD), and civilian organizations, and I wish to thank them all. I would like to take this time to personally acknowledge three particular individuals who have provided excellent support to the RSP who have moved on to other opportunities. Michael Dook has served as the RSP Executive in the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) at NASA Headquarters (HQ) since its inception. He has been a steadfast advocate for the Program within the Agency, and he will be missed in that capacity. He now fulfills a leadership role within the Goddard Space Flight Center-Wallops Flight Facility Range Safety Organization, and we have no doubt he will serve them well. He will continue to provide excellent support to the NASA and larger national Range Safety community. Zachary Barnes and Robb Laney did an exemplary job supporting the RSP for seven and three years, respectively. As members of the RSP support contractor team, their technical expertise in this unique discipline proved very valuable and will be a challenge to replace. While all have left our Range Safety family, I hope their current work continues to allow our paths to cross. I wish them well. In conclusion, it has been a very busy and productive year, and I look forward to working with all of you in NASA Centers/Programs/Projects and with the national Range Safety community in making Flight/Space activities as safe as they can be in the upcoming year. Alan G. Dumont NASA Range Flight Safety Program Manager 7 II. AGENCY RANGE SAFETY PROGRAM A. Range Safety Training 2012 The NASA Range Safety Training Program was initiated in 2004. To date, NASA Range Safety has conducted 52 training courses to over 1,000 participants from NASA, Department of Defense (DoD), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and NASA contractors. The course breakout and number of students is shown in Figure 1. Courses # Classes # Students Range Safety Orientation 26 684 Range Flight Safety Analysis 9 155 Range Flight Safety Systems 13 189 Range Safety Operations 4 24 FIGURE 1: TOTAL NUMBER OF CLASSES AND STUDENTS TAUGHT As in past years, NASA Safety Training Center (NSTC) funding was severely reduced for 2012. Therefore, the two classes taught in 2012 were funded by the Agency Range Safety Program. The first Flight Safety Systems (FSS) course was conducted at Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) upon request from their Range Safety organization. The second FSS class was conducted and recorded at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to create a video that will eventually be included in the online System for Administration, Training, and Educational Resources for NASA (SAT ERN) training courses catalog. The dates of these courses are listed below in Figure 2. Course Date Location Flight Safety Systems 17-19 Jan WFF Flight Safety Systems 21-22 Aug KSC FIGURE 2: 2012 NRS PROGRAM FUNDED COURSES In addition to the FSS courses offered, two Flight Safety Analysis (FSA) courses were also taught at the request of the Commercial Crew Program (CCP). This fulfilled the request from CCP to teach three of the NRS courses (FSS, FSA, and Orientation). As shown in Figure 3, two Range Safety Orientation classes were taught in October 2011 at KSC and one Flight Safety Systems course was taught in December 2011, also at KSC. 8 Course Date Location Range Safety Orientation 6-7 Oct 2011 KSC Range Safety Orientation 13-14 Oct 2011 KSC Range Flight Safety Systems 7-8 Dec 2011 KSC Range Flight Safety Analysis 7-10 Feb 2012 KSC Range Flight Safety Analysis 20-23 Mar 2012 KSC FIGURE 3: COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM FUNDED COURSES 1. Updates to the Range Safety Training Program While the NRS team has provided excellent training for those seeking a greater understanding of Range Safety, the team routinely looks for ways to improve not only course content but also methods of delivery. The following are descriptions of our course catalog noting updates and improvements where applicable. a. Range Safety Orientation (SMA-SAFE-NSTC-0074) The Range Safety Orientation Course is designed to provide an understanding of the Range Safety mission, associated policies and requirements, and NASA roles and responsibilities. It introduces the students to the major ranges and their capabilities, defines and discusses the major elements of range safety (flight analysis, flight safety systems, and range operations), and briefly addresses associated range safety topics such as ground safety, frequency management, and unmanned aircraft systems (UASs). The course emphasizes the principles of safety risk management to ensure the public and NASA/range workforces are not subjected to risk of injury greater than that of normal day-to-day activities. The Range Safety Orientation Course is designed to inform the audience of the services offered by the Range Safety organization, present timeframes that allow adequate interface with Range Safety during Program/Project startup and design in an effort to minimize potential delays and costs, and recommend ways of making the working relationship with Range Safety the most beneficial for the Range User. This course includes a visit to Range Safety facilities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS)/KSC when normally presented at the Eastern Range. If you wish to discuss presenting the class at your location, please contact the NSTC staff. Target Audience: • Senior, program, and project managers • Safety, Reliability, Quality, and Maintainability professionals with an interest in range safety activities 9 Range Safety Orientation Dayl Day2 • Intra & Range Safety Missions • Ground Safety • Range Safety Organization • Frequency Management • Policies, Standards, Directives • UAS Operations • launch & Test Facilities • The Way Ahead • Flight Analysis • Hangar AE Tour • Flight Termination Systems • Morrell Operations Center • Tracking & Telemetry Tour • Range Safety Operations • Summary • Critiques FIGURE 4: RANGE SAFETY ORIENTATION COURSE OUTLINE b. Range Flight Safety Analysis (SMA-SAFE-NSTC-0086) The NRS office, in concert with Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) and Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)/WFF personnel, made significant progress in 2012 on the continuing development of a new NASA-centric FSA course. The new course is designed to provide a broader understanding of Range Safety considerations and will focus more on NASA processes in contrast to the current course which is based primarily on Air Force procedures at the Eastern Range. The current course will continue to be offered for DoD and FAA customers. It includes NASA, DoD, and FAA requirements for flight safety analysis; a discussion of range operations hazards, risk criteria, and risk management processes; and in-depth coverage of the vehicle containment and risk analysis methods performed for expendable launch vehicles (EL Vs ). An outline of the current FSA course structure is shown in Figure 5. 10