Tradespace exploration of in-space communications network architectures

ABSTRACT

Making architectural decisions in long lifecycle systems is challenging because the time between system definition and end of operations can span multiple decades, resulting in shifts in stakeholder needs and major advances in technologies. Space-based communications using relay satellite constellations is one such example, requiring substantial up-front planning to define capabilities and size capacity due to the large investment of time and resources. Additionally, there are numerous viable system architectures. In this paper, we build on existing methods to develop a graph-based decision method to assess and explore architectural flexibility in the future evolution of long lifecycle systems. The tradespace graph defines edges between similar architectures, quantifies the switching cost between architectures, using graphs to analyse the potential system evolution pathways. In a test case on NASA communication satellites, we find that hosting government communications payloads, in particular optical payloads, on commercial satellites could reduce cost and increase flexibility of the NASA network.

KEYWORDS:

• Space communications
• communications architectures
• tradespace exploration
• decision-making
• NASA TDRS network

Acknowledgments

This research has been supported by the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Peter Davison works for Orbital Sciences Corp. as a Systems Engineer. Peter received his B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University before joining the System Architecting Lab to pursue a Masters in Aerospace Engineering at MIT. During his time as an undergraduate Peter worked in the High Contrast Imaging Lab at Princeton developing and testing wavefront control algorithms with deformable mirrors for imaging extrasolar planets using a coronagraph. He also interned at Dynetics in Huntsville, AL as part of the NASA Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center, helping to design a robotic lunar lander testbed for the Google Lunar X Prize team that Dynetics helps lead.

Bruce G. Cameron is a Lecturer in Engineering Systems at MIT and a consultant on platform strategies. His research interests include technology strategy, system architecture, and the management of product platforms. Previously, Dr Cameron ran the MIT Commonality study, a 16-firm investigation of platforming returns, which concluded that firms face systemic downward pressure on commonality, partially resulting from challenges capturing the costs of variety. Dr Cameron has supervised over 20 graduate students, and has directed research projects for BP, Sikorsky, Nokia, Caterpillar, NSTAR, AMGEN, Verizon, NASA, ESA, and Skoltech. Dr. Cameron received his undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto, and graduate degrees from MIT.

Edward Crawley is President of the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech). He received an S.B. and an S.M. in aeronautics and astronautics and an Sc.D. in aerospace structures, all from MIT. Dr Crawley's early research was on structural dynamics, aeroelasticity. His most recent research has focused on the architecture, design, and decision support in complex technical systems subject to economic and stakeholder constraints. Professor Crawley is a Fellow of the AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) and Royal Aeronautical Society (UK) and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Science, the Royal Academy of Engineering (UK), the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Engineering (US). He is the author of numerous papers published inAIAA Journal, ASME Journal, The Journal of Composite Materials, and Acta Astronautica.

Additional information

Funding

This research has been supported by the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology.