**[Space Transportation]{.smallcaps}**

**[Concept of Operations Annex]{.smallcaps}**

**[For NextGen]{.smallcaps}**

**Version 1.0**

# 

FOREWORD

The Space Transportation Annex to the Next Generation Air Transportation
System (NextGen) Concept of Operations (ConOps) was prepared by
representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of
Defense (DoD - Air Force Space Command)*.* This annex, which is based on
the Future Interagency Range and Spaceport Technologies (FIRST)
partners' *Space Vehicle Operators Concept of Operations* (October
2004), is intended as a guide for the transformation of U.S. air and
space transportation operations and infrastructure toward an integrated
national transportation of system under NextGen.

# EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The purpose of this ConOps is to outline a common national vision for
conducting spaceflight operations in the future. Spaceflight operations
includes the planning, scheduling, coordination, and management of space
transportation activities, including the shared use of spaceport and
range support elements worldwide, to accommodate multiple simultaneous
flights of different types of vehicles to, through, and from space using
a variety of control centers tied together through a distributed
network-centric architecture to coordinate ground and flight operations
and support. The processes and activities presented in this ConOps are
described from the perspective of future spaceflight operators at
various types of control centers and flight crews aboard spaceflight
vehicles.

[Time Frames]{.underline}

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.495138888888889in"
height="5.240972222222222in"}

**Figure ES-1. Future Space Transportation System (FSTS) Planning Eras**

The nation's spaceflight operations capabilities will evolve through a
series of incremental development steps, implemented through three eras
as depicted in Figure ES-1. The first era is called the transformation
era. Transformation refers to fundamental change involving advanced
technologies to enable new concepts of operation that are implemented
and institutionalized through collaborative organizational change. New
types of spaceflight operations characterize the second, or Responsive
Space Launch and Human Exploration Era. This era is poised to begin in
the next decade. The third era, mass public space transportation, is
envisioned to begin when the economics and technology of space travel
align with the demands of a mass market characterized by safe, routine,
affordable commercial space travel.

This ConOps is based on several key assumptions, including:

-   A variety of new space transportation vehicles and programs will be
    deployed and operated concurrently in the coming decades.

-   Retirement of NASA's Space Transportation System (Space Shuttle) in
    2010.

-   Traditional functions provided by today's ranges, spaceports and
    operations organizations will merge into a comprehensive, integrated
    Future Space Transportation System (FSTS).

-   In the Mass Public Space Transportation Era, launch vehicle
    reliability will approach that of airline reliability.

[Conceptual Architecture]{.underline}

The Spaceflight Operations architecture consists of a network-centric
capability to coordinate and control space transportation assets and
activities around the world using a variety of control centers and user
facilities connected through a distributed network-centric architecture.

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="6.493055555555555in"
height="4.879861111111111in"}

**Figure ES-2. Conceptual Architecture to Support Spaceflight
Operations**

As shown in Figure ES-2, the future spaceflight operations architecture
must accommodate a variety of spaceflight operations and activities. The
primary elements of the future spaceflight operations conceptual
architecture are:

-   Spaceports at various locations around the world, operating as nodes
    in a global network.

-   Global space launch and test range assets, including shared-use
    satellites and airborne platforms, and ground-based assets at
    various locations.

-   A distributed network-centric architecture---an integrated network
    to coordinate support for spaceflight operations, as described
    below.

-   A hierarchy of control centers and associated controllers to manage
    the various operational aspects of spaceflights.

-   User facilities, including those that are operated by a flight
    vehicle owner, a payload owner, command authorities for military
    operations, laboratories and program offices.

-   Automated planning, scheduling, coordination systems supported by
    automated decision support tools to provide course of action options
    and recommendations.

-   A variety of sensor systems, and self-diagnosing,
    self-reconfiguring, and self-healing systems to provide situational
    awareness information through the global network.

    [Distributed Network-Centric Architecture]{.underline}

    The distributed network-centric architecture refers to an integrated
    system of systems used to coordinate and control space
    transportation assets and activities around the world during flight
    phases associated with transportation---launch, takeoff, reentry,
    and landing. Realization of the vision for future spaceflight
    operations relies on this distributed network-centric architecture
    that will be integrated into the overall NextGen architecture and a
    hierarchy of operations management and control centers.

The Distributed Network-Centric Architecture provides for a central data
repository in support of spaceflight operations.

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="6.53125in" height="4.03125in"}

**Figure ES-3. Specific Roles in the Distributed Network-Centric
Architecture**

The distributed network-centric architecture is used to direct and
coordinate range and spaceport operations and provides access to
situational awareness information. Figure ES-3 provides an illustration
of how the architecture will support space transportation operations,
and the technical capabilities that enable them, which include:

-   A central repository for information pertaining to the health and
    status of flight vehicle, spaceport and range systems.

-   Situational awareness information with regard to ground and flight
    vehicle traffic of interest, areas that must be cleared for safety
    and security reasons, and current and forecasted weather conditions.

[Hierarchy of Control Centers and Controllers]{.underline}

The FSTS architecture relies on a hierarchy of control centers to
conduct safe, reliable, and routine spaceflight operations.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="6.510416666666667in"
height="4.692361111111111in"}

**Figure ES-4. Hierarchy of Control Center Functions**

As depicted in Figure ES-4, various types of control centers manage
spaceflight vehicle operations (including payloads, cargo, and
passengers). These include:

-   Vehicle and Payload Processing Control Centers that control the pre-
    and post-flight processing and checkout of flight vehicles and
    payloads, along with ground movement.

-   Spaceports that coordinate range support, use of NextGen assets, and
    information on collision avoidance with objects in space.

-   Air traffic control facilities (ATC facilities) coordinate and
    manage use of the NextGen.

-   Space traffic management centers for monitoring, coordinating and
    scheduling flights to and from space.

-   Mission control centers (MCC) for operations in orbit that rely on
    dedicated links for voice, video, and data for national security,
    civil, and commercial satellites, deep space probes, and crewed
    missions to the International Space Station, to the Moon, and
    beyond.

    [Regions of Jurisdiction]{.underline}

    To implement the concept of a hierarchy of control centers, all
    spaceflight operations are managed by control centers with
    jurisdiction over specific regions as illustrated in Figure ES-5.

Each type of control center has its own region of authority.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.874305555555556in"}

**Figure ES-5. Regional Authority for Each Type of Control Center**

[Future Spaceflight Operations]{.underline}

Spaceflight operations are typically conducted in six sequential phases.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="6.492361111111111in"
height="3.782638888888889in"}

**Figure ES-6. Six Phases of Spaceflight Operations.**

Several spaceflight operations functions are performed in each phase, as
shown in Figure ES-7.

+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Phase**                     | **Spaceflight Operations Functions** |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Planning**                  | -   Flight Planning and Scheduling   |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Training and Certification       |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Processing**                | -   Flight Readiness Verification    |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Transportation Between           |
|                               |     Facilities                       |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Departure Operation**       | -   Countdown and Final Launch       |
|                               |     Commit                           |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Launch/Takeoff and Initial       |
|                               |     Flight                           |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Flight Operations**         | -   In-flight activities             |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Monitoring in "Notification"     |
|                               |     Mode                             |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Return and Landing**        | -   Reentry                          |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Return Flight                    |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Landing/Recovery                 |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Refurbishment and           | -   Post-Flight Processing           |
| Turnaround**                  |                                      |
|                               | -   Data Archival, Analysis and      |
|                               |     Reporting                        |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

**Figure ES-7. Spaceflight Operation Functions in Each Phase**

The following paragraphs describe how each of the spaceflight operations
functions will be carried out in the Responsive Space Launch and Human
Exploration Era.

[Planning & Scheduling]{.underline}: Automated decision support systems
analyze weather data with vehicle performance and characteristics to
determine the operational limits on each planned spaceflight operation.
Assignments for use of airspace are derived from automated simulations
of the flight profile and its effects on air traffic. The centralized
planning and scheduling system uses software tools to standardize
recurring schedule items, expert systems for workload planning, and
models to project the availability of spaceport and range assets and
other support resources.

[Training and Certification]{.underline}: Generic training includes
requirements that remain consistent over time regardless of the purpose
of a particular mission, flight, vehicle or facility. Flight-specific
training includes training requirements that are unique to a given
mission, flight, vehicle or payload. As the space transportation
architecture becomes more standardized and interoperable over time,
there will be fewer vehicle-centric training requirements, and most
training and certification requirements will fall into either the
generic category or mission specific. Automated processes,
self-diagnosing/self-healing systems and decision support systems will
reduce the amount of training needed by operations personnel.

[Flight Readiness Verification]{.underline}: Intelligent computing
systems assess readiness in real-time based on information from all
elements of the spaceflight operations system to enable responsive space
launches. Advanced computing techniques and intelligent system support
responsive operations.

[Transportation Between Facilities]{.underline}: Operators at Vehicle
and Payload Control Centers maintain communication with spaceport
facilities, support equipment, and the flight vehicles, payloads, cargo,
crew, and passengers to maintain situational awareness and direct
control of all ground processing activities associated with the elements
they're responsible for. The distributed network-centric architecture is
used to allocate spaceport and range assets to provide support for the
ground processing activities being directed by the Vehicle and Payload
Control Centers.

[Countdown and Final Launch Commit]{.underline}: Operators at the
spaceport monitor the status reports from automated health monitoring
systems and, like airport control tower operators today, monitor
departures and arrivals in the terminal area of the spaceport. They also
monitor integrated situational awareness displays to ensure weather is
acceptable for launch or takeoff.

[Launch/Takeoff and Initial Flight]{.underline}: Operators at the
spaceport monitor launch/takeoff and ascent to ensure vehicles are
flying in accordance with approved flight profiles. Air traffic control
facilities and space traffic managers provide routing instructions as
required to clear the airspace and ensure separation from other aircraft
and traffic and/or debris in space as vehicles transit their regions of
jurisdiction. Space vehicle operations within the NAS and NextGen are
managed using space transition corridors.

[In-flight Activities]{.underline}: Air traffic control facilities and
space traffic managers that monitor and issue routing instructions to
suborbital hypersonic point-to-point flights as they fly en route
between spaceports to ensure safety and separation from other traffic
and potential hazards including weather systems and orbiting debris.

[Space Operations]{.underline}: For spaceflight operations in LEO or
beyond, the mission control center maintains contact with the flight
vehicle (and crew, if applicable) during the duration of the mission.
The mission control center maintains operational control of the vehicle
during orbital (LEO, transition and GEO) operations.

[Monitoring in "Notification" Mode]{.underline}: For spaceflight
operations in LEO or beyond, the mission control center maintains
continuous contact with the flight vehicle (and crew, if applicable) and
with the global network that's managed by the distributed
network-centric architecture. All other control centers passively
monitor the network in "notification" mode in case the mission control
center issues a message requesting support for an unscheduled return,
reentry and/or landing.

[Reentry]{.underline}: The mission control center (and the flight crew,
if applicable) maintains direct contact with control centers that have
authority and jurisdiction over the regions being traversed along the
flight path. Space traffic managers monitor and ensure safety and
separation during de-orbit and reentry maneuvers. For vehicles returning
to Earth, the applicable air traffic control facilities work with the
mission control centers and space traffic managers to plan and
coordinate the clearing of airspace along the return trajectory.

[Return Flight]{.underline}: Once the vehicle enters the National
Airspace System, the responsible space traffic managers hand-off
responsibility to the applicable spaceport where the vehicle will land.
The spaceport coordinates with the applicable air traffic control
facilities to ensure safety and separation during the descending flight
through the atmosphere.

[Landing/Recovery]{.underline}: The spaceport maintains responsibility
for issuing routing instructions to the flight crew (when applicable)
and/or to the mission control center responsible for the flight,
throughout return flight and landing/recovery at the spaceport.

[Data Archival, Analysis and Reporting]{.underline}: After the
completion of a spaceflight operation, automated expert systems generate
post-flight anomaly reports and to schedule maintenance and repair
activities. The central archival database makes data available at user
request as needed to complete post flight analysis and reports.

[Spaceflight Operations in the Third Era, to Support Mass Public Space
Travel]{.underline}

Spaceflight operations in the third era are conducted so frequently and
routinely that some of the steps in the lifecycle described above are
combined and compressed.

[Planning and Scheduling]{.underline}: Flight routes between major
destinations are well-defined and established for frequent and routine
flights. The distributed network-centric architecture is used to manage
the functions of dozens of spaceports and hundreds of flights each day,
supported by the same types of control centers that operated during the
first two eras.

[Processing, Refurbishment, and Turnaround]{.underline}: Accommodating
such a busy flight schedule drives the need for processing,
refurbishment, and turnaround of reusable spaceflight vehicles (and
their support systems) between flights in ways that resemble airline
processing operations at airports today. Integrated health monitoring
systems enable as-needed maintenance actions to be detected and
conducted quickly on an exception basis. Most processing and turnaround
operations between flights are conducted in parallel using adjustable
ground support equipment to accommodate different vehicle
configurations.

[Spaceport Departure and Arrival, Return and Landing
Operations]{.underline}: The spaceport operates much like the Terminal
Control Center at airports today, controlling departure, arrival,
return, and landing operations. As the flight vehicle leaves its area of
responsibility, the spaceport hands-off responsibility for routing
routine suborbital flights to the space traffic management authority.
For longer flights, it in turn, hands-off responsibility to the next
space traffic manager along the intended flight path, and so on, until
arriving at the spaceport where the vehicle is scheduled to land takes
responsibility.

[Flight Operations]{.underline}: As vehicles depart the spaceport,
space-based and ground-based systems in the third era have the capacity
to support increased space transportation traffic. Increasingly
sophisticated automated decision support systems allow control center
operators and flight crews to concentrate on only those critical
decisions and flight-unique operations that actually require human
intervention. The use of intelligent expert systems and sensors to
improve situational awareness increases safety and reliability and
decreases operator workload. Consequently, operators in control centers
are able to support more flights simultaneously.

[Enabling Capabilities]{.underline}

This enabling technology roadmap presents a time-phased approach to
addressing the technical challenges associated with achieving the
necessary capabilities for the envisioned future spaceflight operations
described in this ConOps.

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.690277777777778in"}

**Figure ES-8. Enabling Technology Roadmap**

A variety of enabling capabilities will be necessary to enable future
spaceflight operations as described in this ConOps. This ConOps
describes new ways of operating with technologies or capabilities that
are likely to exist in the future. It describes a variety of technology
areas and standardization approaches that address the technical
challenges that stand in the way of achieving the necessary capabilities
to enable future spaceflight operations as envisioned.

The enabling technology roadmap depicted in Figure ES-8 presents the
recommended time-phased approach to pursuing these technology
development and demonstration activities over time. The five technology
areas addressed in this section are: Self-Healing Systems, Network and
Data-Handling, Integrated Software Planning and Scheduling, Modeling and
Simulation, and Weather Measurement and Forecasting.

In addition, standardization is another enabling element. The body of
the ConOps describes many opportunities and recommendations regarding
development and demonstration activities that should be pursued to
address each of these areas and enable the future capabilities
envisioned in this ConOps.

[Conclusion]{.underline}

Pursuing opportunities for technology development and demonstration
activities will enable the development of the future capabilities
described in this ConOps. Only by developing these capabilities will
future spaceflight operations be able to satisfy the future demands for
space transportation from the civil, commercial, and national security
space sectors. Section 8 presents some general capabilities that NextGen
will need to provide to support space operations described in this
ConOps.

# 1.0 PURPOSE

The purpose of this ConOps is to outline a common national vision for
conducting spaceflight operations in the future. Spaceflight operations
includes the planning, scheduling, coordination, and management of space
transportation activities, including the shared use of spaceport and
range support elements worldwide, to accommodate multiple simultaneous
flights of different types of vehicles to, through, and from space using
a variety of control centers tied together via the distributed
network-centric architecture to coordinate ground and flight operations
and support. Space transportation architectures have been designed from
a vehicle-centric perspective. The strategy applied in this ConOps looks
at space transportation from a broader "systems approach" vision that
aims toward developing an integrated Future Space Transportation System
(FSTS).

The vision described offers an integrated, interoperable approach for
conducting future civil, national security and commercial space
transportation operations in ways that resemble management of the
commercial air transportation system. This approach envisions a
spaceflight operations model that is independent of vehicle
architecture, making it more economical and streamlined than today's
approach to spaceflight operations. Consequently, this approach will
enable the FSTS to accommodate more frequent flights with shorter lead
times, manage multiple flights and activities simultaneously, be less
manpower-intensive, and integrate seamlessly within NextGen.

This Space Transportation Annex to the NextGen ConOps describes future
space transportation activities from the perspective of spaceflight
operators, and a future network-centric control center conceptual
architecture and operating model that will support future spaceflight
operations. It also discusses some technology areas that would enable
and enhance the nation's ability to more effectively support current
emerging, and projected future national security, civil, and commercial
spaceflight operations to, through, and from space.

# 2.0 TIME FRAMES

The nation's spaceflight operations capabilities will evolve from their
current state (relying almost exclusively on vehicle-specific,
fixed-location, ground-based assets), through a series of incremental
spiral development steps. These steps will be implemented through three
eras as depicted in Figure 1.

The first era is called the transformation era. This era represents a
period in which new enabling technologies are developed and implemented
through collaborative organizational change.

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.495138888888889in"
height="5.240972222222222in"}

**Figure 1. Future Space Transportation System (FSTS) Program Eras**

The second era is referred to as the Responsive Space Launch and Human
Exploration Era. This era is poised to begin soon, with activities that
overlap with activities that were begun in the Transformation Era.
Within this overlap period, future spaceflight operations will be
enabled by the Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) and the Orion Crew
Exploration Vehicle (CEV) development efforts that began in the
Transformation Era. These capabilities enable prompt global strike in
support of military objectives as well as human space exploration of the
moon, Mars, and beyond.

The third era, the Mass Public Space Transportation Era, is envisioned
to dominate the latter half of this century. It is distinguished by
routine commercial space travel that is both affordable and highly
reliable. In this era, space transportation will be an integral part of
the global mass public transportation system moving people and cargo
daily anywhere in the world.

# 3.0 ASSUMPTIONS

> This ConOps is based on several key assumptions:
>
> **A variety of new space transportation vehicles and programs will be
> deployed and operated concurrently in the coming decades.**

-   *Programs now underway in the civil, national security, and
    commercial space sectors will lead to new space transportation
    vehicles and activities. These include; NASA's Constellation program
    to the International Space Station and the moon, the continuation of
    exploration to Mars and beyond. Operationally responsive space (ORS)
    activities for national security. Commercial sub-orbital reusable
    launch vehicle (RLV) flights to carry passengers to, through, and
    from space. Collectively these new types of vehicles and operations
    will drive the need for a FSTS made up of spaceport and range
    capabilities and various control centers linked together by* the
    distributed network-centric architecture. *To support these future
    vehicles, the FSTS must be more responsive than today's spaceport
    and range capabilities. It must also be capable of providing global
    connectivity using standardized and interoperable systems to support
    multiple concurrent operations involving different types of vehicles
    at a variety of locations while cost-effectively accommodating
    fluctuations in projected workload.*

> **The trend in U.S. spaceflight operations will be toward
> "airport-like" operations at federal and non-federal spaceports, and
> spaceflight operations in the third era occur nearly daily and
> resemble commercial airliner operations. .**

-   *As space travel and access to space become more routine (with new
    vehicles, increased traffic, and concurrent operations), traffic and
    capacity will increase. This will push the operating model toward
    standardization for pre-flight preparation, departure and return.
    Pre-approved flight paths and regulation of space travel will become
    mandatory to ensure orderly, safe transportation to, through, and
    from space while ensuring safety of life and property. In the third
    era, spaceflight operations are expected to include frequent
    point-to-point flights to transport people, payloads, and cargo.
    Spaceflight operations are envisioned to be an integral part of the
    world's transportation capability.*

> **Traditional functions provided by today's ranges, spaceports and
> operations organizations will merge into a comprehensive, integrated
> FSTS.**

-   *Traditional definitions and the strict delineation of functions
    that are today assigned to ranges, spaceports or spaceflight
    operations will blend together more seamlessly as future
    developments lead toward a global space transportation capability.
    While each of the traditional functions will still be performed,
    future vehicles and activities are expected to require global
    coverage in support of point-to-point operations to and from a
    variety of locations around the world. This will drive the evolution
    of traditional functions toward a more integrated set of
    capabilities.*

> **In the Mass Public Space Transportation Era, launch vehicle
> reliability will approach that of airline reliability.**

-   *Future sub-orbital and orbital reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) will
    be so reliable as to be able to fly over populated areas without
    elevating risks to public safety above the currently acceptable
    levels associated with commercial air traffic today.*

> **Spaceflight operators participate in or perform operations functions
> during the lifecycle associated with the spaceflight operations.**

-   *Personnel specifically dedicated to performing functions or tasks
    in support of a particular spaceflight operation include flight
    crew, planners and schedulers, flight controllers, trainers, vehicle
    and payload processing and range operations controllers. Personnel
    who operate shared supporting range, spaceport and operations
    support functions (e.g., maintenance, modernization, infrastructure
    support functions, etc) not needed to support a specific flight are
    not considered spaceflight operators.*

> **Spaceflight operations include the phases of a mission that relate
> to preparing for and conducting transportation to, through, and from
> space near the vicinity of Earth.**

-   *Spaceflight operations include all tasks performed in the course of
    preparing a vehicle, payload, cargo, crew, and passengers to conduct
    a spaceflight mission. It also includes establishing requirements
    for the flight, scheduling assets to meet them, ensuring all FSTS
    elements are ready to support, and supporting actual spaceflight
    operations including final commit to launch, countdown,
    launch/departure, reentry, landing or recovery, and post-flight
    activities.*

-   *In some cases, the "mission" is to provide transportation, so in
    these cases the "mission" is completely encompassed by the term
    "spaceflight operations." (This is analogous to civil aviation and
    commercial airline operations today where the "mission" is
    transportation.) Examples in this category where "spaceflight
    operations" address the entire "mission" include:*

    -   *Flights of commercial reusable launch vehicles to deliver
        passengers and/or cargo from point to point*

    -   *Operationally responsive space (ORS) missions conducted by the
        national security space sector to deliver sensor platforms
        and/or munitions to target areas on short notice*

    -   *Flight test and evaluation (T&E) missions*

-   *In other cases, the "mission" itself includes more than the
    "spaceflight operations" (or near-Earth space transportation
    operations conducted over a period of hours) addressed in this
    ConOps. For example:*

    -   *Satellite processing and expendable launch vehicle operations
        are included in "spaceflight operations," along with the launch
        itself. However, the actual "mission" is to operate the
        satellite for a period of days to years once it reaches its
        intended orbit. This ConOps does not address the mission of the
        satellite while it is operating in Earth orbit.*

    -   *NASA missions to conduct repairs or experiments in low Earth
        orbit, to conduct operations associated with the International
        Space Station, and Constellation flights to explore the moon or
        Mars (with or without a crew) include "spaceflight operations"
        to get to and return from LEO, and those activities are
        addressed in this ConOps. However, the "mission" itself is
        conducted in or beyond low Earth orbit over a period of days to
        years so it is not addressed by this ConOps.*

> **Shared use of common infrastructure makes standardization an
> important consideration.**

-   *The expectation is that launch vehicle "users" of spaceflight
    operations in the third era will share use of Common FSTS facilities
    and infrastructure for support, such as facilities, instrumentation,
    command, control, and communication systems, etc, among other
    things. The current reliance on dedicated systems and infrastructure
    will be phased out as legacy launch vehicles reach their end of life
    and give way to a more common approach.*

# 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF ARCHITECTURE

The future spaceflight operations architecture must accommodate the same
types of test and operational activities that are supported today, plus
a variety of additional spaceflight operations and activities as
illustrated in Figure 2.

Accommodating the variety of projected future activities will drive
needs for new approaches to spaceflight operations.

![](media/image8.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}![](media/image9.jpeg){width="1.3416666666666666in"
height="0.6854166666666667in"}

**Figure 2. Current and Future Spaceflight Operations**

Future Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) missions for national
security, crew rescue missions, and emerging Suborbital Reusable Launch
Vehicles (RLVs) for space tourism will all drive the need for more
responsive spaceport, range, and operations support. New spaceports in
non-traditional locations, hypersonic flight testing, and more
operationally realistic ballistic missile defense testing will drive
needs for hemisphere-scale coverage to provide tracking and
communications. Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) missions will
require global coverage to enable re-targeting or mission aborts. New
missions (especially for test and evaluation) will transmit telemetry
data at higher rates at the same time as other users of the frequency
spectrum are also continuing to expand their interests and demands for
bandwidth, driving needs for improved use of frequency spectrum. To
support new types of spaceflight operations and associated activities,
future systems must take advantage of an open architecture,
interoperability, and standards (existing as well as future) to enable
the transition of new systems, technologies, and capabilities into
operational use. Standardization and interoperability will be essential
to efficiently accommodate the routine operations being conducted by
diverse users of the future space transportation system with shared-use
infrastructure. Approaches to ensuring public safety will also have to
be enhanced to accommodate routine operations of diverse flight vehicles
flying over population centers on their way to and from a variety of new
and traditional spaceport locations. Flexibility and adaptability in the
design and operation of the future space transportation system will
enable it to efficiently accommodate fluctuations in workload, new and
diverse activities, and unanticipated future capabilities. Supporting
routine operations at high flight rates will require the FSTS to have
the capacity to support concurrent operations, just as today's airports
routinely support multiple simultaneous flights and numerous ground
operations.

The Spaceflight Operations architecture consists of a network-centric
capability to coordinate and control space transportation assets and
activities around the world using a variety of control centers and user
facilities connected through a distributed network-centric architecture.

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="6.493055555555555in"
height="4.879861111111111in"}

**Figure 3. Conceptual Architecture to Support Spaceflight Operations**

As shown in Figure 3, the primary elements of the spaceflight operations
conceptual architecture are:

-   Spaceports at various locations around the world, operating as nodes
    in a global network.

-   Global space launch and test range assets, including shared-use
    satellites and airborne platforms, plus ground-based assets at
    various locations.

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-   The distributed network-centric architecture ---an integrated
    network to coordinate support for spaceflight operations by
    providing information on a global basis, and to control range assets
    around the world in support of space traffic planning and operations
    management.

-   A hierarchy of control centers and associated controllers to manage
    the various operational aspects of spaceflights and interface with
    each other to maintain seamless and safe flight operations
    throughout all phases and altitudes of the flight, from operations
    within the National Airspace System to operations beyond low Earth
    orbit.

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-   User facilities, including those that are operated by a flight
    vehicle owner, a payload owner, command authorities for military
    operations (like operationally responsive spaceflights),
    laboratories and program offices that are conducting test and
    evaluation, and others as required to support particular spaceflight
    operations. In some cases, User Facilities also support on-orbit
    operations using a direct interface through a mission control center
    for particular spaceflight operations.

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-   Automated planning, scheduling, coordination systems supported by
    automated decision support tools to provide course of action options
    and recommendations based on modeling, simulation and analysis of
    potential implications.

-   A variety of sensor systems, and self-diagnosing,
    self-reconfiguring, and self-healing vehicle and support systems to
    provide situational awareness information through the global
    network.

-   Improved telemetry, command, control, monitoring, and communication
    systems to provide:

    -   Continuous data access control, routing, recording and archiving
        from spaceport and range assets and flight vehicles.

    -   Standard communication protocols to allow command, control,
        communications and interoperability (C^3^I) of spaceport/range
        assets worldwide from a variety of COTS/GOTS providers.

    -   Routing of command and control data from control centers to
        flight vehicles during spaceflight operations

        An essential part of the vision for future spaceflight
        operations described in this ConOps relies on the distributed
        network-centric architecture and the hierarchy of control
        centers. These elements play integral parts in the ways
        spaceflight operations functions are conducted. The following
        sections discuss these, and the other elements of the conceptual
        architecture, in detail.

## 4.1 Conceptual Architecture

[4.1.1 Planning, Scheduling, and Coordination]{.underline}

Future spaceflight operations rely primarily on a centralized,
network-based automated planning, scheduling, and coordination system
that are accessible through the distributed network-centric architecture
to integrate and coordinate the schedules for use of all spaceports,
ranges, and control centers to ensure one planned activity will not
impact another.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the conceptual architecture for the
planning, scheduling, and coordination function consists of an
integrated suite of automated, network-based processes and capabilities
to enable all users of range support to interactively access the
centrally-managed, automated schedule to understand and stay abreast of
schedule constraints and availability. This conceptual architecture also
allows users and operators to enter information through secure network
connections regarding their planned activities involving spaceflight
operations and off-line maintenance, modifications, and upgrades of
spaceport and range assets.

Planning, scheduling, and coordination systems rely on automated
decision support tools.

![](media/image10.jpeg){width="6.495833333333334in"
height="4.520138888888889in"}

**Figure 4. Conceptual Architecture for Planning, Scheduling, and
Coordination**

The automated planning and scheduling system consists of advanced
software programs that accept user and operator inputs using standard
Internet protocols through the global network. The automated scheduling
system processes these inputs by taking into account real-time
constraints and historical trend data through the global network to
calculate plans and schedules for use of spaceport and range assets.
This system relies on high-speed computing capabilities based on
increasingly fast commercial processors, embedded coding, and
serializer/deserializer (SerDes) chips[^1] and associated standard
communication protocols.

This automated system generates schedules for spaceport and range assets
to support of spaceflight operations and for off-line maintenance,
modifications, and upgrades. The scheduling software automatically
coordinates operations, maintenance, modifications and upgrades with the
automated logistics system and shared support services. This automated
scheduling capability is enabled by commercial schedule de-confliction
engines, data fusion and information extraction/mining techniques being
developed by the U.S. military for processing intelligence data, and
learning databases with applications in lossless data compression
techniques.

The end result is that the software automatically produces and regularly
updates an integrated (and de-conflicted) schedule for the use of all
spaceport and range assets as its output on the global network. It also
notifies and keeps users, operators and maintainers informed through the
global network regarding any changes to plans and schedules that involve
them.

The automated planning, scheduling, and coordination system is supported
by automated decision support tools to provide course of action options
and recommendations based on lessons learned, modeling, simulation and
analysis of potential implications. The scheduling function uses these
automated decision support tools to automatically assess plans and
schedules for range asset capacity and availability based on all user
and operator requests, as well as maintenance and repair schedules and
other constraints. These decision support tools rely on more complete
input data based on empirical information regarding flight vehicle
performance, potential toxic and debris hazards, environmental
sensitivities, population density and location, traffic patterns, and
weather conditions. They also rely on advanced modeling and simulation
programs based on expert systems and artificial intelligence, including
three-dimensional dispersion models and propellant combustion models,
for example.

The automated scheduling system also enables users and operators to
coordinate flight profiles with proper authorities to ensure that each
spaceflight operation will be conducted safely without impacting other
scheduled air and space traffic. This capability is enabled by ensuring
all control centers have continuous and secure access to the
high-capacity global communication network.

[4.1.2 Situational Awareness]{.underline}

As shown in Figure 5, a variety of weather sensors, area surveillance
systems, and integrated health monitoring systems aboard vehicle and
embedded in spaceport/range systems provide information through the
global network where it is fused and distributed as integrated
situational awareness information through the distributed
network-centric architecture. Weather measurement and forecast
information is provided by a central hub facility based on integrated
inputs from a variety of site-specific regional and national weather
sensors and models. Weather measurement and forecasting capabilities
rely to a large extent on cooperative arrangements with external
providers for sensors, instrumentation, systems, data, formats, and
models. The centralized hub function analyzes and provides display data
from weather radars, satellite imagery, and a variety of sensors to
provide forecasts and hazardous weather watches, advisories, and
warnings for ground processing, launch, flight, landing, and recovery
operations.

The Distributed Network-Centric Architecture provides situational
awareness information by integrating weather, air traffic and system
health and status inputs.

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}

**Figure 5. Conceptual Architecture for Situational Awareness**

Systems in the vicinity of each primary takeoff/launch/landing/recovery
site (i.e., spaceport) to collect weather data include ground-based and
mobile airborne wind profilers; instrumented towers with sensors from 6
to 500 feet above ground level to gather enough wind, temperature,
humidity and pressure data to provide inputs for mesoscale weather
models; sensors to detect, measure, and predict the potential for
lightning, including surface and airborne electric field mills, airborne
optical pulse sensors, peak-gated, wideband magnetic direction finders
(MDF), and VHF receiver sites to detect radiation from inter-cloud and
intra-cloud lightning. Re-tuned Terminal Doppler Weather Radars (TDWR)
and multipurpose primary terminal radars at each active spaceport also
provides weather data.

Area surveillance data for safety, security, and mission assurance in
any potentially hazardous land, sea, or airspace areas, and along the
entire intended flight path, is provided by a variety of multi-use
sensors and platforms. Examples include ground-based air route
surveillance radars, as well as various systems that can be ground-based
or mounted aboard UAVs or high-altitude airships (HAAs). Examples
include optical and video systems, imaging radars, LIDAR to detect
objects through smoke and clouds, and detection/imaging systems that
operate at other wavelengths (e.g., IR, UV). Data from these various
systems and sources is fused to provide real-time situational awareness
with regard to air traffic in areas of interest.

Spaceport and range systems, as well as flight vehicles, include
integrated health monitoring systems to continuously generate and report
status and needs for maintenance and repair through their connections to
the global network. These capabilities are enabled by built-in test
equipment to perform fault detection and isolation as inputs for
self-diagnostic systems. Micro-electromechanical sensors, enabled by
nanotechnology, make these systems practical. Advanced modeling and
simulation capabilities (based on expert systems, learning databases,
and artificial intelligence) better predict component and system
failures as means of enhancing the self-diagnostic capabilities.

[4.1.3 Data Access Control, Routing, Recording and
Archiving]{.underline}

Another element of the conceptual architecture for future spaceflight
operations is the global network. This global network routes all the
data that flows to and from spaceport and range assets in real time,
controls access to restricted data, routes data (as requested) to valid
network subscribers, and records, stores, and archives data for later
retrieval. The design of this global network addresses information
assurance (IA) by ensuring its systems and networks provide:

-   [Availability]{.underline}: assured and timely access to data and
    information services for authorized users.

-   [Data Integrity]{.underline}: protection of data to ensure it has
    not been destroyed, changed, modified, or altered from its original
    state as a result of any unauthorized, accidental, or malicious
    action.

-   [Authentication]{.underline}: security measures designed to
    establish the validity of a transmission, message, or originator, or
    as a means of verifying an individual\'s authorization to receive
    specific categories of information.

-   [Confidentiality]{.underline}: assurance that information is not
    disclosed to unauthorized persons, processes, or devices.

-   [Non-repudiation]{.underline}: undeniable assurance that the sender
    of data is provided with proof of delivery and the recipient is
    provided with proof of the sender\'s identity, so neither can later
    deny having received or processed the data.

The network addresses these IA principles by using improved encryption
and defense-in-depth strategies, enhanced firewalls and password
protection, screening software and intelligent agents, and technologies
for detecting and tracing attempts at system intrusions (e.g.,
biometrics).

The FSTS relies on interconnected information systems, which results in
sharing of security risks among all interconnected elements.
Consequently, coordination of IA efforts across all systems, operators,
and users is important to maintain adequate security.

Communications to support future spaceflight operations relies primarily
on ground-based networks for data transfer among ground-based locations,
with some long-distance data relay provided using space-based assets.
The range communication system of the future can relay data at rates up
to 40 Gbps through space-based and mobile assets, while ground-based
networks are handling data at rates in the tera- (i.e., trillion, or
10^12^) bits per second. The most economical approach for this future
architecture is to share use of communication relay satellites with
other users to offset the costs associated with development,
acquisition, deployment, and operation.

In addition, local area networks within spaceport facilities include
wire, cable, umbilical, fiber optic, and wireless (e.g., IR,
ultra-wideband, etc) connections to provide interfaces between launch
vehicles/payloads/cargo and ground support equipment, and to connect all
of these elements to the global network.

[4.1.4 Command and Control of Spaceport/Range Assets and Flight
Vehicles]{.underline}

The same ground network and satellites that make up the communication
architecture also provide continuous, redundant global coverage for the
relay of command and control data to spaceport and range assets as well
as flight vehicles. Command and control includes the ability to (1)
manually, automatically or autonomously abort or terminate flight when a
vehicle equipped with a flight termination system (FTS) poses
unacceptable risk to public safety or property, (2) provide remote
guidance, attitude, payload control, and other uplink communications
functions for some vehicles, and (3) configure, position and operate
range assets to support operations or perform maintenance from a remote
location. (Some vehicles---particularly reusable vehicles designed to
carry people---include autonomous capabilities for intact abort and
emergency landing instead of flight termination systems.)

The ground network and satellites are used to provide relay services for
sending data and information to operators providing and overseeing
command and control of flight vehicles during the transportation phases
of each spaceflight operation. The distributed network-centric
architecture provides an infrastructure for command and control services
from start to finish for some spaceflight operations, including for
example:

-   Suborbital flights when the purpose is to transport people and/or
    cargo from point to point. In some cases, the flight crew may pilot
    the vehicle according to a pre-approved flight profile and (to the
    extent possible) to comply with instructions from control centers
    with proper authority.

-   Some military Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) missions,
    including Prompt Global Strike (PGS) and/or Conventional Strike
    Missile (CSM) and other activities with sufficiently short duration
    as to make a transfer of operational responsibility impractical
    during the course of the spaceflight operation.

-   Flight test and evaluation (T&E).

## 4.2 Organizational Architecture

The control of spaceflight operations is aligned and organized to
facilitate coordinated interactions among the distributed
network-centric architecture, various types of control centers, and the
flight vehicles themselves, including their crews when applicable. This
section explains the major roles of each of these control centers.

[4.2.1 Distributed Network-Centric Architecture]{.underline}

One of the primary elements of the ConOps for future spaceflight
operations is the distributed network-centric architecture. The
distributed network-centric architecture is used to coordinate and
manage access to shared-use space transportation assets around the world
during flight phases associated with space transportation---launch,
ascent, reentry, and landing.

The distributed network-centric architecture is at the core of the
concept for future spaceflight operations that are enabled and supported
by future spaceports and the envisioned global space launch and test
range. It is one of the most fundamental distinguishing features that
enable future operations to be conducted more efficiently and
responsively than today's systems by enabling concurrent operations and
increased operations tempo. Without a distributed network-centric
architecture, it will be difficult to build an integrated system that
coordinates the operations of new users with existing users with
sufficient capacity to enable and support more ambitious and frequent
space launch and flight test activities.

The distributed network-centric architecture provides an infrastructure
to coordinate range and spaceport operations by providing scheduling and
situational awareness information. Operating as a node in a global
network, it provides a variety of services including user interfaces and
automated intelligent decision support systems to produce information
for output displays. Its major focus is directed toward safely and
efficiently managing the use and condition of spaceport and range
assets, while also serving users' information needs on a subscriber
service basis.

The Distributed Network-Centric Architecture provides access to a
central data repository in support of spaceflight operations.

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="6.53125in" height="4.03125in"}

**Figure 6. Specific Roles of the Distributed Network-Centric
Architecture**

As illustrated in Figure 6, the specific functions of the distributed
network-centric architecture, and the technical capabilities that enable
them, include:

-   Acting as a repository for information pertaining to the health and
    status of flight vehicle, spaceport and range systems, except for
    those spaceport systems that are only used to support ground
    processing between flights. (Those facilities are managed by a
    spaceport control center at each spaceport.) This capability is
    enabled by global network management technologies being developed
    for the next-generation Internet, and new optical, magnetic, and
    hybrid data storage and data mining technologies.

-   Acting as a central for situational awareness information with
    regard to ground and flight vehicle traffic of interest, areas that
    must be cleared for safety and security reasons, and current and
    forecasted weather conditions. This capability is enabled by
    on-board and satellite-based navigation to generate tracking
    information, a primarily space-based telemetry receiving capability
    providing global coverage, a network of ground-based and airborne
    weather sensors coupled with sophisticated meso-scale models, an
    integrated suite of modeling and simulation tools based on expert
    systems and artificial intelligence to take real-time and historical
    data into account to generate and evaluate alternative courses of
    action and present recommendations to support decisions, and a
    high-capacity global communication network to distribute this
    information.

[4.2.2 Hierarchy of Control Centers and Controllers]{.underline}

The FSTS architecture relies on a hierarchy of control centers to
conduct safe, reliable, and routine spaceflight operations.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="6.510416666666667in"
height="4.692361111111111in"}

**Figure 7. Hierarchy of Control Center Functions**

Spaceflight operations rely on a distinct set of functions accomplished
by a hierarchy of control centers and controllers. These control centers
are linked through a global network to facilitate interfaces through the
distributed network-centric architecture.

As depicted in Figure 7, in addition to the command and control
functions supported by the distributed network-centric architecture,
there are five different types of control centers involved in managing
the operation of spaceflight vehicles and their payloads, cargo, and
passengers:

-   Vehicle and Payload Processing Control Centers (i.e., space vehicle
    operators) interact with the Spaceport Control Center to coordinate
    all surface operations, including control of the pre- and
    post-flight processing and checkout of flight vehicles and payloads,
    along with movement between facilities, and maintenance and
    logistics between flights. The Spaceport Control Center controls the
    spaceport infrastructure involved in supporting surface operations.

-   The spaceport coordinates range safety support, use of the NAS and
    NextGen, and information on collision avoidance with objects in
    space for departing and arriving flights.

-   Air traffic control facilities (ATC facilities) coordinate and
    manage use of the NAS and NextGen to ensure that spaceflight
    vehicles transiting the airspace on the way to or from space can be
    safely integrated with scheduled air traffic.

-   Space traffic management for coordinating and scheduling flights to
    and from space to ensure that flight vehicles operating in or
    through space can be safely accommodated along with other vehicles
    flying in space, while avoiding debris hazards.

-   Mission control centers (MCC) for spaceflights that include missions
    in orbit and beyond, include dedicated links for voice, video, and
    data connectivity to flight vehicles to provide tracking, telemetry,
    and commanding for national security, civil, and commercial
    satellites, deep space probes, and crewed missions in orbit, to the
    Moon, and beyond.

    To effectively implement the concept of a hierarchy of control
    centers, each control center operator---and the flight crew (if
    applicable)---must fully understand and act within the bounds of
    clearly-established roles, responsibilities, and procedures
    commensurate with the bounds of their authority. For instance, all
    spaceflight operations are managed by control centers with
    jurisdiction over specific flight regions:

-   On the surface of the Earth (Vehicle and Payload Processing Control
    Centers)

-   Through the NAS and NextGen (spaceports and air traffic control
    facilities)

-   On suborbital trajectories (spaceports, in coordination with space
    traffic management)

-   In LEO (mission control centers, in coordination with space traffic
    management)

-   Beyond LEO (mission control centers)

    As depicted by the shape of the pyramid in Figure 7, a greater
    number of control centers are required to control traffic at lower
    altitudes because the volume of traffic is greater in these regions
    and flight operations in these regions have a more immediate
    potential to impact public safety if there is an incident or
    accident. In LEO and beyond, fewer control centers are required to
    support spaceflight operations because there is less total traffic
    in a much larger volume of space, and orbiting objects are less
    likely to impact public safety as immediately as flight vehicles
    operating along suborbital trajectories or in the Earth's atmosphere
    (i.e., during launch and reentry).

    For this hierarchy of control centers to function effectively, rules
    and regulations are established to accommodate frequent space
    traffic, a variety of spaceports, various types of vehicles, and
    additional control centers of each type as they become operational.
    These rules and regulations define roles and responsibilities, the
    boundaries of spaceflight regions (suborbital, LEO, beyond LEO,
    etc.) and clearly distinguish the authority of each control center.

Each type of control center has its own region of authority.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.874305555555556in"}

**Figure 8. Regional Authority for Each Type of Control Center**

Boundaries of authority for each type of control center are illustrated
in Figure 8.

The control centers maintain contact and actively work with each other.
These rules and regulations enable operators to work more smoothly with
each other based on a common understanding of each control center's
authority and the appropriate protocols for transferring and receiving
control of a spaceflight vehicle.

All of the control centers supporting spaceflight operations are
connected through a global network that's managed by the distributed
network-centric architecture, so their physical locations are not as
important as their functions. In some cases, control centers are located
in proximity to each other, or to physical
takeoff/launch/landing/recovery sites, but there is no requirement that
they be co-located.

For vehicles that carry a crew, the pilots and support crew are assisted
by various controllers on the ground to control the flight of the
vehicle during all phases of its spaceflight, to include launch or
takeoff, ascent, suborbital flight, reentry, return flight, and landing
or recovery on Earth. The degree of control in the hands of the crew
varies depending on the type of vehicle and operation. In some cases,
flight crew operations are predominant, while in other cases, more
control may be exerted by automated systems on board the flight vehicle
or from one or more of the ground-based control centers.

Some of the control center functions described here could be merged
where practical and desirable, as determined by key stakeholders with
proper authority. For example, the space traffic management function
could be merged with the local air traffic control function to form one
integrated air and space traffic management center to support commercial
suborbital RLV traffic within a particularly active region.

The following subsections discuss the functions of each of the types of
spaceflight operations control centers and operators in more detail.

[4.2.2.1 Vehicle and Payload Processing Spaceport Control
Centers]{.underline}

While the distributed network-centric architecture is the information
and management hub for coordinating all spaceport, range, and flight
vehicle activities, the functions associated with monitoring and
controlling flight vehicle and payload/cargo/passenger operations on the
Earth's surface are provided by Vehicle and Payload Processing Control
Centers. These functions include flight vehicle and payload processing
(including assembly) and checkout, transporting flight vehicles and
payloads/cargo/passengers from one facility to another, taxiing on
runways, integration of payloads/cargo/passengers with flight vehicles,
refurbishment and turnaround between flights, maintenance and logistics.
Vehicle and Payload Processing Control Centers may be co-located at the
spaceport which they will be launched from, or located at the
manufacturing facility. If they are located at the launch site, the
control center may be integrated into the spaceport control center,
along with departure/arrival control.

Vehicle and payload controllers at the Vehicle and Payload Processing
Control Centers are responsible for preparing spaceflight vehicles and
payloads/cargo for flight. Vehicle controllers have a detailed
understanding of the vehicle or payload systems and operational
specifications and limitations. Vehicle and payload controllers are
responsible for command and control of the vehicle or payload systems
and related ground support equipment during preparation for flight.
Vehicle and payload controllers are also responsible for planned
maintenance and major modifications to their vehicles or payloads, as
required.

Payload and cargo processing can be conducted at the manufacturing
location, with the integrated health monitoring system keeping track of
the system status from that point on. This enables compressed processing
schedules at the launch site, streamlining payload and cargo handling.

The vehicle and payload processing control centers are connected to
other control centers performing other functions through the distributed
network-centric architecture.

[4.2.2.2 Spaceport Departure/Arrival]{.underline}

The spaceport is responsible for managing the immediate pre-flight
checkout (and countdown, if required), including coordination of all
departure, flight plan approval, and landing activities with air traffic
control facilities and space traffic management, including those that
would support any emergency return/recovery/landing operations in the
event of an abort early in the flight.

The spaceport operators are analogous to terminal controllers in the air
traffic control system, who controls air traffic operating near
airports. Terminal controllers give pilots instructions for use of
taxiways and runways for takeoff and landing. They also communicate
routing and spacing instructions to pilots to ensure safe and efficient
operations during initial departure and arrival near the airport. Once
the aircraft departs the geographic area of responsibility near the
airport, the terminal controller hands off responsibility for managing
the traffic to an air traffic control facilities. Similarly, spaceport
operators are responsible for coordinating and issuing clearances for
flight profiles and for communicating instructions to other control
centers (and flight crews, as appropriate) to coordinate and control
safe and efficient departure and arrival operations.

The spaceport also operates as a node in the network controlled by the
distributed network-centric architecture.

[4.2.2.3 Air Traffic Control Facilities]{.underline}

In the future operational environment, ATC facilities will be
responsible for maintaining the safe and efficient flow of both air
traffic and space traffic within the NAS and NextGen. ATC facilities
work with spaceports and space traffic management to ensure safe and
efficient operations within the NAS and NextGen as spaceflight vehicles
depart and return on their way to or from space. ATC facilities have the
authority to impose airspace restrictions, reroute air traffic, instruct
spaceports to hold spaceflight vehicles on the ground, or (in emergency
situations) divert flight vehicles to alternate destinations, as means
of accommodating spaceflight vehicle departure and return operations
through the NAS and NextGen.

Air traffic controllers are responsible for en route air traffic,
receiving control of aircraft coming into their airspace from
controllers at adjacent facilities. As aircraft operate en route between
airports, Air traffic controllers communicate directly with flight crews
to provide routing instructions, air traffic clearances and advice
regarding flight conditions. Air traffic controllers ensure separation
between aircraft in flight or operating in and out of airports not
serviced by terminal (control tower) facilities. Air traffic controllers
transfer control of aircraft to controllers in adjacent centers,
approach control, or terminals, when the aircraft enters that facility's
airspace. Air traffic controllers also interface with flight crews and
spaceport to manage spaceflight operations as they move through the NAS
and NextGen.

ATC facilities are connected to all other control centers as nodes in
the network controlled by the distributed network-centric architecture.

[4.2.2.4 Space Traffic Management]{.underline}

Space traffic management centers plan and schedule suborbital space
traffic within a designated geographic region as spaceflight vehicles
transit orbital altitudes. Space traffic management functions and
responsibilities are similar to those of air traffic control facilities
managing traffic within the NAS and NextGen---to ensure safe and
efficient traffic flow.

Space traffic management centers coordinate spaceflight operations along
suborbital trajectories and coordinate in-space transportation
operations to and from LEO and beyond. Similar to the ATC facilities
functions in managing the safe and efficient use of the NextGen, space
traffic management centers have the authority to ensure adequate
separation between planned flight profiles in space and orbiting
objects. Space traffic managers would also manage the trajectory of
discarded vehicle stages or booster motors to insure safe re-entry.
Space traffic management centers also provide information on space
weather, orbital object tracking, and warning notifications when
conjunctions are possible.

Examples of suborbital spaceflight operations include commercial tourist
and cargo transport flights, flight test and evaluation activities
involving ballistic missiles, and operationally responsive space (ORS)
activities conducted by the national security space sector to deliver
munitions and/or intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)
payloads to a target location on Earth.

Six possible Space Traffic Management Centers have defined geographic
areas of responsibility for safe and efficient suborbital spaceflight
operations around the world.

![](media/image12.jpeg){width="6.488888888888889in"
height="4.623611111111111in"}

**Figure 9. Possible Global Space Traffic Management Responsibilities**

As illustrated in Figure 9, a possible architecture includes six space
traffic management regions of responsibility, one for each of the
following geographic regions:

-   North America and the Arctic

-   South and Central America

-   Europe and Western Asia

-   Africa and the Middle East

-   East Asia and India

-   Australia, the South Pacific, and the Antarctic

    Each space traffic manager works with ATC facilities, mission
    control centers, and space traffic management to ensure safety and
    ensure collision avoidance as spaceflight vehicles travel at
    altitudes where other vehicles are operating in LEO or beyond.

    Space traffic managers monitor and coordinate all space
    transportation traffic in near-Earth space by providing instructions
    to flight crews and control centers (as appropriate) to ensure
    traffic separation. This includes issuing warnings when conjunctions
    are approaching among spacecraft, orbital debris and naturally
    occurring celestial bodies. Space traffic managers interface with
    other mission elements and spaceflight vehicle crews through the
    distributed network-centric architecture during departure and
    landing, and through mission control centers during on-orbit
    operations. Space traffic managers interface directly with air
    traffic controllers, mission controllers, and crew during on-orbit
    operations. Each space traffic manager is connected to all other
    control centers as nodes in the distributed network-centric
    architecture for departure and landing of space vehicles. For
    activities in orbit, the space traffic manager has a link to the
    mission control center for each flight to report pertinent data such
    as collision warning notifications.

    [4.2.2.5 Mission Control Centers]{.underline}

    Mission control centers (MCCs) are responsible for managing the
    in-space activities associated with spaceflight operations in LEO
    and beyond for days to years at a time. (As discussed above, not
    every spaceflight operation has a mission control center.) Mission
    controllers manning positions in these centers monitor systems and
    activities aboard spaceflight vehicles and payloads during satellite
    deployment and operation, retrieval, repair, human exploration, and
    in-space assembly or repair of structures in orbit or on planetary
    bodies. Mission controllers are directed by the mission manager.

    Mission managers have the authority to make spaceflight operation
    decisions during all phases of the spaceflight operations lifecycle.
    This includes certifying flight readiness of their flight vehicle,
    making the final launch commit decision and approving alternative
    courses of actions for unplanned events during flight. Not every
    spaceflight operation will have a mission manager. Mission managers
    will most likely be associated with civil, national security, and
    certain commercial (e.g. heavy lift ELV) launch activities.
    Commercial suborbital flights, which will bear similarity to airline
    point-to-point flights, will not need the same formal flight
    readiness and launch commit approvals that are needed for civil and
    national security spaceflight operations.

    During departure and return operations, the MCC maintains contact
    with other control centers goes via the distributed network-centric
    architecture.

    MCCs are staffed by mission controllers who are trained to
    effectively monitor all vehicle systems and phases of flight. In the
    case of spaceflight vehicles without a crew, mission controllers
    command and control the flight vehicle, its systems and payloads
    from the ground. For spaceflight vehicles that do include a crew,
    the mission controllers work in collaboration with the flight crew
    to carry out the specific objectives of the spaceflight operation.

    The controllers in the MCC work actively with the flight controllers
    in the spaceport and the space traffic manager until the vehicle
    safely reaches orbit. Once a flight vehicle safely reaches orbit,
    the MCC retains primary responsibility for the spaceflight
    operations.

    Before the vehicle reaches orbit, the MCC establishes direct
    communications and data links with the spaceflight vehicle. From the
    time the spaceflight vehicle enters orbit until the vehicle prepares
    for reentry, the MCC maintains contact with the vehicle and/or crew
    to direct and/or assist in managing all of its in-space operations.

    In the event a vehicle must return to Earth unexpectedly, the MCC
    informs the appropriate space traffic manager, ATC facilities, and
    spaceport.

# 5.0 FUTURE SPACEFLIGHT OPERATIONS

While the previous section described the functions of the major elements
that make up the future spaceflight operations conceptual architecture,
this section describes the processes associated with performing future
spaceflight operations. This section is divided into two parts:

-   The first part describes future spaceflight operations during the
    first and second eras, characterized by transformation and
    responsive space launch/human exploration, respectively.

-   The second part describes how future spaceflight operations are
    conducted for routine operational RLV flights operating as part of a
    global space transportation system in the third era, characterized
    by mass public space transportation.

    Spaceflight operations are typically conducted to align with the six
    sequential phases depicted in Figure 10.

Spaceflight operations are typically conducted in six sequential phases.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="6.492361111111111in"
height="3.782638888888889in"}

**Figure 10. Six Phases of Spaceflight Operations.**

As illustrated in Figure 10, there are six phases of spaceflight
operations. The major functions in spaceflight operations are:

1.  Planning spaceflight operations (including flight profiles) to meet
    requirements within applicable constraints, and scheduling the use
    of assets and resources to meet those requirements. This phase of
    activity also includes training and certification of various types
    of operators to work effectively in control centers within the
    bounds of their clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and
    authorities.

2.  Processing, including coordinating, controlling, and supporting
    pre-flight ground operations to ensure that each flight vehicle and
    payload/cargo element, as well as crew and passengers (when
    applicable), are ready to fly.

3.  Departure operations, including coordinating, (in some cases,
    controlling), and supporting initial flight operations in the
    vicinity of the takeoff/launch site.

4.  Flight operations, including coordinating and supporting spaceflight
    operations between departure and arrival. In some cases, this also
    includes controlling in-flight operations (e.g., to conduct a prompt
    global strike). In other cases, it only involves monitoring the
    in-flight operations on an exception basis (i.e., in "notification"
    mode during the conduct of the spaceflight in LEO or beyond), to be
    prepared to coordinate support for return flight and
    landing/recovery in the event of an emergency or in-flight abort.

5.  Arrival operations, including coordinating, (in some cases,
    controlling), and supporting flight operations in the vicinity of
    the landing/recovery site.

6.  Refurbishment and turnaround, including coordinating, controlling,
    and supporting operations for each flight vehicle and payload/cargo
    element, as well as crew and passengers (when applicable) after each
    flight. This also includes data processing and analysis as well as
    post-flight reporting.

    These six phases of space launch and flight test activities are
    explained in more detail in Appendix 1. Within each of these phases,
    several spaceflight operations functions are performed. These
    functions align with the phases as shown in Figure 11.

+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **[Phase]{.underline}**       | **[Spaceflight Operations            |
|                               | Functions]{.underline}**             |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Planning**                  | -   Flight Planning and Scheduling   |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Training and Certification       |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Processing**                | -   Flight Readiness Verification    |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Transportation Between           |
|                               |     Facilities                       |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Departure Operation**       | -   Countdown and Final Launch       |
|                               |     Commit                           |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Launch/Takeoff and Initial       |
|                               |     Flight                           |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Flight Operations**         | -   In-flight activities             |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Monitoring in "Notification"     |
|                               |     Mode                             |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Return and Landing**        | -   Reentry                          |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Return Flight                    |
|                               |                                      |
|                               | -   Landing/Recovery                 |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+
| **Refurbishment and           | -   Post-Flight Processing           |
| Turnaround**                  |                                      |
|                               | -   Data Archival, Analysis and      |
|                               |     Reporting                        |
+-------------------------------+--------------------------------------+

**Figure 11. Spaceflight Operation Functions in Each Phase**

The remainder of this section explains each of these spaceflight
operations functions in more detail.

## 5.1 Transformation, Responsive Space Launch and Human Exploration 

In the Transformation Era, the incremental deployment of evolutionary
technologies begins to enable more responsive spaceflight and human
exploration activities in space using new vehicles and spaceports by
improving interfaces and network operations. Flexibility,
standardization and interoperability become developmental drivers
required to meet increasing complexity in spaceflight operations, along
with increased traffic.

As a result of these developments, future spaceflight operations during
the Responsive Space Launch and Human Exploration Era are supported by
an integrated, centrally-managed, network-centric capability
(orchestrated by the distributed network-centric architecture). A
distributed network-centric architecture command center, as depicted in
Figure 12, coordinates (in some cases, controls), and manages
interactions among range assets, spaceports, and control centers around
the world during each phase of a spaceflight operation. Each flight
vehicle, range and spaceport asset, and control center is addressable as
a node in the distributed network-centric architecture.

Spaceflight operations are coordinated, and in some cases controlled,
through a distributed network-centric architecture.

![](media/image13.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

**Figure 12. Distributed Network-Centric Architecture**

A variety of control centers work in concert via the distributed
network-centric architecture. Some examples exist and operate as they do
during the Transformation Era, including air traffic control facilities
throughout the nation and NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston and
Launch Control Center in Florida, while others only begin operating
during the Responsive Space Launch and Human Exploration Era.

During the Transformation Era, new standards are developed and applied
incrementally throughout the systems that are used to support
spaceflight operations. Standards are applied and implemented first at
each spaceport/range/control center, or as part of a larger launch
vehicle program. The standards, once adopted, then begin implementation
regionally, then nationally, and finally globally. Over time, as new
spaceports and vehicles are added to the overall FSTS, they are
designed, built, and operated in ways that comply with the existing set
of established and accepted standards for spaceflight operations.

The following sections describe in more detail how each of the
spaceflight operations functions will be carried out during each phase
of a spaceflight operation in the Responsive Space Launch and Human
Exploration Era.

**5.1.1 Planning**

[5.1.1.1 Planning & Scheduling]{.underline}

Planning for spaceflight operations includes:

-   ![](media/image14.wmf)Defining the scope, objectives and
    requirements for a spaceflight operation, along with strategies for
    accomplishing them

-   Developing flight profiles based on an understanding of the flight
    environment and accounting for programmatic and operational
    constraints and/or dependencies

-   Identifying support requirements, including processing and takeoff,
    launch and range facilities, data relay and command and control
    rates, etc.

-   Integrating this plan into the master schedule along with all other
    planned flights and activities.

    Figure 13 is a process flow diagram illustrating the relationships
    among these steps in planning spaceflight operations.

    Flight scheduling takes the products of flight planning and breaks
    them down into the individual tasks to be completed for each
    individual flight. It also includes assigning the available
    resources to support each task, accounting for availability and
    constraints such as launch windows required to intersect celestial
    orbits. Finally, it includes integrating the resulting schedules for
    individual flights into a single master schedule for all scheduled
    flights and available resources. Scheduling is an iterative process
    due to the dynamic nature of spaceflight operations; therefore these
    schedules require numerous updates as events impact original
    requirements and plans.

    Automated decision support systems analyze forecasted weather data
    along with vehicle performance and other characteristics (including
    breakup and debris data) to determine the restrictions and
    operational limits on each planned spaceflight operation. Flight
    profiles are filed and treated as flight plans to coordinate the
    integration of spaceflight operations within the National Airspace
    System. During the responsive space launch and human exploration
    era, flight profile inputs are treated individually to drive the
    assignment of air traffic control resources and restrictions, as
    necessary to provide effective support without adversely affecting
    the usual flow of air traffic.

Planning spaceflight operations accounts for flight-specific parameters
and constraints to generate a Flight Profile, then via distributed
network-centric architecture generates support requests.

![](media/image15.jpeg){width="6.495833333333334in"
height="5.376388888888889in"}

**Figure 13. Planning Process for Spaceflight Operations**

Assignments for use of airspace are derived from the results of
automated simulations that address the flight profile (within a
calculated set of limitations based on weather, performance, and other
vehicle characteristics) and its effects on air traffic. These
simulations assess alternative courses of action and recommend primary
and alternative (or contingency) solutions that minimize disruptions to
other traffic, minimize the potential for re-scheduling, and preserve
safety.

As envisioned and illustrated by Figure 14, the job of the planner and
scheduler in the future will be greatly simplified by this centralized
planning and scheduling system. This automated system uses software
tools to standardize recurring scheduling functions and notify users and
operators of schedule changes. The ability to handle dynamic changes and
forecast impacts to plans or schedules is enhanced by implementing
expert systems for workload planning and models to project the
availability of spaceport and range assets, ground processing,
facilities, and other support resources. As these processes become more
efficient using these advanced capabilities, the number of planners and
schedulers required by all elements of the space transportation system
can be reduced. At the same time, these schedulers can also handle more
spaceflight operations and schedules while coordinating with users and
operators in real time as required.

Spaceflight operations are scheduled using an automated decision support
system to generate alternative courses of action and recommendations.

![](media/image16.jpeg){width="6.496527777777778in"
height="4.981944444444444in"}

**Figure 14. Scheduling Process for Spaceflight Operations**

Using this network-centric automated system, authorized users and
operators make inputs for individual flights regardless of location. The
architectural elements of this centralized function provide a secure
interface to the system, including a method for classified access for
those flights requiring secure operations. Users receive real-time
feedback notifying them whether the request is approved, whether it
conflicts with other events or resource schedules, or if the request is
disapproved due to resource constraints.

The planning and scheduling system enables collaborative planning among
multiple organizations simultaneously. The system quickly generates
complex, concurrent plans while ensuring maximum flexibility and
capability for re-planning to accommodate equipment problems, changing
weather conditions, or short-notice changes to a spaceflight operation.
When schedule conflicts do arise, the system automatically adjusts the
schedule for optimum use of all flight and support elements. This
automated capability uses advanced modeling and simulation techniques
and constraint-based computer algorithms to assign priorities, identify
areas of conflict, automatically repopulate the schedule, and notify all
users of any changes. All users affected by any adjustment are notified
in real-time of any changes affecting their activities, enabling them to
have continuous access to the latest master schedule and plans through
the global network that's controlled by the distributed network-centric
architecture.

[5.3.1.2 Training and Certification]{.underline}

Training for spaceflight operations includes all activities required to
prepare flight crews and control center operators to perform assigned
flight-specific tasks. Training seeks to build a set of skills to enable
crew members and control center operators to perform a particular job.
As shown in Figure 15, training includes identifying a realistic scope
of what the job entails, clearly stating performance objectives,
selecting an appropriate methodology (such as simulation, part-task
training, classroom instruction, etc) to meet the performance
objectives, and creating opportunities to practice the skills with
feedback and suggestions for improvement.

The training process for Spaceflight Operations can use a variety of
methods, but always includes feedback and suggestions for improvement.

![](media/image17.jpeg){width="6.498611111111111in" height="4.80625in"}

**Figure 15. Training Process for Spaceflight Operations**

Certification for spaceflight operations requires that crew members or
control center operators to meet certain performance criteria indicating
they can adequately perform the assigned tasks. Certification includes
the assessment of a person's learned skills after training to determine
if that person can adequately perform a particular job. The
certification process ensures that crew members and control center
operators understand and are capable of safely, reliably, and routinely
performing their assigned functions and responsibilities with competence
and professionalism, particularly in the face of off-nominal conditions
and situations.

As shown in Figure 16, the training and certification of future
spaceflight operators is divided into two categories: generic operations
training and flight-specific operations training. Generic training
includes training requirements that remain consistent over time
regardless of the purpose of a particular flight, vehicle or facility.
Examples include management of ascent/departure or reentry/return flight
operations. Flight-specific training includes training requirements that
are unique to a given flight, vehicle or payload.

Training for Spaceflight Operations includes generic and flight-specific
elements.

![](media/image18.jpeg){width="6.496527777777778in"
height="4.327083333333333in"}

**Figure 16. Generic and Flight-Specific Training for Spaceflight
Operations**

Generic training is conducted at the location where the operator works
(such as the spaceport, range, particular type of control center, etc).
It is delivered by a variety of methods and supplemented by intelligent
training tutorials built into workstations. Operators also receive
initial training on the standard transportation systems and standardized
vehicle and payload interfaces at the spaceport, range or operations
center. After they're certified, operators only receive periodic
refresher training or additional training when system design changes are
implemented.

Flight-specific training requirements for specific vehicles, payloads
and flight objectives are provided on an exception basis, and only for
specific flights (or types of flights) when such training is required to
deal with unusual or unique attributes. The vehicle operators are
responsible for the flight-specific training of their flight controllers
or crew for a spaceflight operation that falls into this category. These
operators are responsible for addressing any flight-specific issues
through all phases of the spaceflight operation. They subscribe to the
centralized control function to access vehicle and payload data and send
commands or communicate with the vehicle via a node on the web.

In this era, as the infrastructure becomes more standardized and
interoperable between space transportation facilities, the need for each
facility to maintain its own specialized operations personnel for many
functions greatly diminishes. For example, commercial RLV flights taking
passengers and cargo from point to point will resemble commercial air
transportation today. Generic training is provided to departure/arrival
controllers and space traffic managers who monitor the vehicles as they
transit to and from space. They will not be tasked with monitoring the
vehicle and its systems, just getting it safely from point A to point B.
That task will fall to the crew member flying the RLV.

There is still a need for flight-specific training for civil, national
security and development and test activities during this era. The
training that NASA or the military provides to flight crews and flight
controllers on a particular vehicle or particular type of spaceflight
operation objectives is flight-specific operations training. In these
cases, the vehicle operator (NASA, DoD, industry) will still be
responsible for providing training and certification for crew and flight
controller training requirements for these spaceflight operations. In
cases where NASA or the DoD chooses to purchase the services of a launch
vehicle provider to carry payloads or other space vehicles (such as the
Crew Exploration Vehicle), they may find it more cost-efficient to
contract those services directly from the vehicle operator rather than
maintain a staff of vehicle specific training personnel.

As the space transportation architecture becomes more standardized and
interoperable over time, there will be fewer vehicle-centric training
requirements, and most training and certification requirements will fall
into the generic category. Vehicle operators, especially in the civil
and national security space sectors, will still be required to provide
training for specific unique requirements.

For unique or critical requirements, traditional training methods such
as simulations continue to be used, but new methods accommodate new
needs. The spaceflight operations tempo of the future will make the
training and certification of personnel more difficult because in many
cases there will be very little lead-time to prepare and train for a
flight. Training and certification for future spaceflight operations, to
include the ability to meet shortened training timelines, will rely on
just in time (JIT) training tools and job aids, artificial intelligence
and intelligent tutoring systems.

Just in time training tools and job aids eliminate the need for lengthy
training lead time for flight requirements peculiar to a specific
vehicle or payload. JIT will be accessible through the distributed
network-centric architecture and will enable users to access training
information on demand for various flight elements and processes from
their office, remote locations, workstations (consoles), wireless and
handheld devices. Based on the individual user inputs, the user receives
basic, intermediate or advanced training that is tailored to his or her
specific needs---and is able to put that training to use immediately
after receiving it. Flight-specific training needs can also be
supplemented using JIT tools prior to or during real-time spaceflight
operations and in cases where long training lead times are not possible,
for instance to support crew or satellite rescue. These tools will
provide the capability and flexibility for operators to be called upon
and ready to support short notice, responsive space launches as well.

Artificial intelligence and intelligent tutoring systems aid spaceflight
operators by providing "expert" guidance in real time for vehicle and
payload systems as well as providing decision-making support and course
of action determination given failure indications or other unexpected
events. Removing the need for humans to perform these tasks based on
pre-defined courses of action will allow them to focus on those critical
decisions and unique operations that do require human focus and
interaction. Training requirements are reduced because the humans no
longer have to go through the time-consuming step-by-by decision-making
actions that the artificial intelligence systems perform for them. These
artificial intelligence and intelligent tutoring systems will be
available to all subscribers, local or remote, via the global network
that's controlled via the distributed network-centric architecture,
enabling continuous availability to all users regardless of location or
workstation setup.

In addition to the training systems mentioned above, training and
certification of spaceflight operations personnel benefits greatly from
the conceptual architecture principles set forth in the Spaceport and
Range ConOps such as standardization, automation and self-healing
systems.

The use of standardized interfaces, or modular plug-and-play components,
eliminates the need for lengthy training programs associated with unique
or proprietary hardware and software systems. Standardized components,
processes, and functions allow operators to receive initial training and
certification for a particular job regardless of the flight, vehicle or
payload. Rather than having to retrain operations personnel from scratch
every time there is a different vehicle, payload or flight, only
periodic re-qualifications will be required to ensure that operations
personnel have maintained proficiency.

The emergence of automated processes/tools, self-diagnosing/self-healing
systems and decision support systems will reduce the amount of training
needed by operations personnel. Automating numerous, repetitive, manual
processes and tasks performed by operators will reduce the need to train
these personnel to perform those tasks. Employing self-healing systems
will also reduce the need to train operations personnel on the critical
signature recognition, decision-making and course of action
determination required for systems without self-diagnosis/self-repair
capability.

**5.1.2 Processing**

[5.1.2.1 Flight Readiness Verification]{.underline}

![](media/image19.wmf){width="4.004861111111111in"
height="2.5520833333333335in"}Processing includes flight readiness
verification, meaning the assembly, testing, checkout, and examination
of all flight hardware, software, operations organizations and
procedural elements to ensure each is ready for flight. It also includes
a formal process of surveying all flight organizations, functions and
elements to formally certify and document readiness for flight.

Flight readiness verification uses the global information network that's
managed Center (and the flight crew via the distributed network-centric
architecture to initiate and analyze results from automated processes.
It also relies on standardization and intelligent computing systems to
assess readiness in real-time based on information gathered from all
elements of the space transportation system. These processes and
connections are depicted in Figure 17.

Processing operations include flight readiness verification and
transferring vehicles, payloads, cargo, and passengers between
facilities.

![](media/image20.jpeg){width="6.497916666666667in"
height="3.1881944444444446in"}

**Figure 17. Processing Operations**

Problems are highlighted and anticipated by automated processes to
support management decisions. This sort of automated capability is
necessary to enable responsive space launches. Because the time from
notification to launch is extremely compressed, advanced computing
techniques and intelligent system play a crucial role in enabling
real-time verification and certification of system readiness to support
responsive operations.

Through the use of automated processes, standardization and intelligent
computing systems, flight readiness can be tracked in real-time based on
information gathered from all elements of the space transportation
system through the global network that's managed using the distributed
network-centric architecture. Problems are highlighted and anticipated
by automated processes to support management decisions.

Managers at dispersed locations will subscribe to data to be displayed
at their location, receiving immediate status of all required functions
and an indicator of which items are complete or incomplete. Should
decisions need to be made, the automated system provides instant video
teleconferencing capabilities to all flight managers for a particular
spaceflight operation. This sort of automated capability is necessary to
enable responsive space launch missions. Because the time from
notification to launch is extremely compressed, advanced computing
techniques and intelligent system play a crucial role in enabling
real-time verification and certification of system readiness to support
responsive spaceflight operations.

[5.1.2.2 Transportation Between Facilities]{.underline}

Processing also includes the transfer of vehicles, payloads, cargo,
crew, and passengers between facilities, as required, to prepare for
departure operations. The Vehicle and Payload Control Centers retain
primary control of these ground transportation operations between
facilities during processing.

Operators at these Vehicle and Payload Control Centers maintain
communication interfaces with spaceport facilities, support equipment,
and the flight vehicles, payloads, cargo, crew, and passengers through
the global network that's managed through the distributed
network-centric architecture. Using these interfaces, these operators
maintain situational awareness and direct control of all ground
processing activities associated with the elements they're responsible
for.

The distributed network-centric architecture is used to direct spaceport
and range assets as required to provide support for the ground
processing activities being directed by the Vehicle and Payload Control
Centers.

**5.1.3 Departure Operations**

![](media/image19.wmf){width="4.004861111111111in"
height="2.5520833333333335in"}Departure operations include countdown and
final launch commit, as well as launch or takeoff, and initial flight.

The spaceport retains primary responsibility for departure and landing,
using the distributed network-centric architecture to interface with the
other types of control centers involved in managing various aspects of
the flight.

[5.1.3.1 Countdown and Final Launch Commit]{.underline}

Countdown and final launch commit includes propellant loading and late
stowage of items onto vehicle, final range interface checks, official
launch commit based on vehicle and weather conditions, final
range/airspace safety checks and collision avoidance verifications. Some
future spaceflight operations could be called up and ready to launch
within hours of notice. To accomplish the shortened timeline for
countdown and launch commit (which begins days prior to liftoff in most
cases involving current systems), new approaches to accomplish this
function are employed.

Departure operations are controlled primarily by the spaceport. It polls
the other control centers through the distributed network-centric
architecture during countdown for final launch commit, and coordinates
with them during launch/takeoff and initial flight.

![](media/image21.jpeg){width="6.486805555555556in"
height="4.103472222222222in"}

**Figure 18. Departure Operations**

As illustrated by the global network connectivity depicted in Figure 18,
vehicle, ground support systems, and range systems are monitored by
built-in test and integrated health monitoring equipment during the
countdown. Vehicle or ground support equipment detecting system,
hardware or software problems automatically identify failures, and
reconfigure to a redundant system or repair themselves autonomously,
eliminating the need to halt the countdown.

Propellant and consumable loading are accomplished using on-demand
propellant servicing to the flight vehicle while the automated vehicle
and ground health monitoring systems verify that the loading operations
and outcomes are proceeding as expected.

Operators at the spaceport monitor the status reports from these
automated health monitoring systems through the distributed
network-centric architecture and global network. These controllers, like
airport control tower operators today, monitor all space vehicle
departures and arrivals in the terminal area of the spaceport.

Working through the distributed network-centric architecture and in
coordination with applicable air traffic control facilities and space
traffic managers, the spaceport operators ensure the proper flight
profile approvals and flight route clearances have been obtained. They
also monitor integrated situational awareness displays to ensure weather
is acceptable for launch or takeoff.

Typically, only civil and national security sector spaceflights that
involve long-duration activities in LEO or beyond are controlled through
mission control centers. Operators in mission control centers are
connected to the global network that's managed by the distributed
network-centric architecture, so they have access to all the data on the
network that's applicable to their vehicles and flight operations.

For suborbital spaceflights---whether civil, national security, and
commercial, and with or without crews and/or passengers aboard---the
distributed network-centric architecture provides services for managing
the interfaces and approvals among all involved control centers (and the
crew, in cases involving vehicles with flight crews aboard).

Commercial vehicle operators at remote locations can access voice,
video, and data relating to the flight vehicle and payload/cargo through
the global network as needed.

As the countdown proceeds toward liftoff, all participating control
centers are polled via the distributed network-centric architecture to
provide their final launch commit through the global network. Various
launch commit criteria are established during the planning phase of the
flight, and all relevant considerations and data are continuously
monitored by automated systems and the results and recommendations of
expert system analysis are displayed as part of the overall situational
awareness information available to all operators on the network.

If the system determines that all launch commit criteria are "go", the
countdown continues. If the system determines that a particular
criterion is "no-go" even after system self-diagnosis and recovery, then
the launch/departure manager issues a "hold" command and notifies all
users on the global network. Automated expert systems evaluate all of
the available data using modeling and simulation tools to generate a
list of alternative courses of action. These systems also provide a
recommended primary and contingency course of action.

Depending on the option chosen, the launch countdown may be resumed,
held for a time until a course of action or workaround is selected and
implemented, or the launch is scrubbed and re-scheduled. Upon initiation
of a scrub, the launch/departure manager issues a shutdown command that
starts a series of events to safe and reconfigure all vehicle,
spaceport, and range systems for the next scheduled event. The
launch/departure manager also notifies the planning and scheduling
systems of the scrub, placing the flight back in the queue for whatever
actions may be needed before another launch attempt.

[5.1.3.2 Launch/Takeoff and Initial Flight]{.underline}

Launch/takeoff and initial flight include departure of a space vehicle
from a spaceport and flight through the NAS and NextGen into a desired
orbit or along a sub orbital trajectory (for point-to-point flights).
Aborts are also included in this phase in the event the vehicle must
make an unscheduled return to the launch or takeoff site because of
system failures or vehicle ascent performance problems that are unable
to be fixed.

Figure 18 also shows that operators at the spaceport monitor tracking
and telemetry data during the launch/takeoff and ascent of the flight
vehicle to ensure it is flying in accordance with its planned and
approved flight profile. Operators in applicable air traffic control
facilities and space traffic managers also monitor the progress of the
flight as it ascends within their regions of jurisdiction.

Operators at the spaceport work closely with Operators in applicable air
traffic control facilities, space traffic managers, and the flight crew
(if applicable) during initial flight.

During departure operations, the flight crew communicates directly with
the spaceport. If the crew is conducting a spaceflight operation in LEO
or beyond, then the mission control center will also be in contact with
the crew throughout the flight.

Applicable air traffic control facilities and space traffic managers
monitor the ascent and provide routing instructions as required to clear
the involved airspace to ensure safety and separation from other
aircraft and traffic and/or debris in space while as vehicle transits
their regions of jurisdiction. Space vehicle operations within the NAS
and NextGen are managed using space transition corridors. Depending on
the flight profile and vehicle performance characteristics, the space
transition corridors are used to segregate different types of flights,
to concurrently accommodate different phases of activity (e.g., launches
versus re-entries), and to ensure safety in the event of in-flight
anomalies or emergencies. Air traffic control facilities maintain
contact with space traffic managers to hand-off responsibility once the
vehicle reaches the upper limit of the National Airspace System.

For flights along suborbital trajectories, the spaceport also works
closely with air traffic control facilities and space traffic managers
to hand-off responsibility for monitoring and routing the vehicle once
it flies over the horizon from the launch/takeoff site. Before the
vehicle proceeds the horizon from the launch/takeoff location, the
spaceport hands-off responsibility for issuing routing instructions to
the applicable space traffic managers. In most cases, the distributed
network-centric architecture provides an infrastructure for coordinating
and controlling suborbital flights.

For launches to low Earth orbit and beyond, the spaceport maintains
communications with the mission control center and the vehicle until the
vehicle has passed beyond the jurisdiction of the space traffic managers
that monitor its ascent and injection into orbit. At that point, the
spaceport hands-off responsibility to the mission control center and the
mission control center takes over responsibility for managing on-orbit
or in-space activities.

Once a vehicle is in Earth orbit or beyond, the spaceport, air traffic
control facilities, and space traffic managers only monitor and contact
the mission control center on an exception basis in "notification" mode.
In this mode, automated alerts notify these center operators only if the
flight is cut short in orbit (e.g., due to an anomaly or an emergency)
and requires support for an unscheduled reentry and landing/recovery.

**5.1.4 Flight Operations**

[5.1.4.1 In-flight Activities]{.underline}

![](media/image19.wmf){width="3.94375in"
height="2.5520833333333335in"}In-flight activities include maintaining
the control, monitoring, coordination and overall situational awareness
with regard to flight-specific activities conducted while a vehicle is
conducting a spaceflight operation.

Because the nature of flight to, through, and from space is
intrinsically dangerous, it is unlikely that fully autonomous launch,
in-space and re-entry operations will occur in the foreseeable future.
Human operators will still be needed to manage and control flights to,
through and from space but utilizing advanced technologies, tools and
architectural concepts described in the Spaceport and Range ConOps, the
number of operators required to support all flights will decrease as
these improvements enable operators to handle the increased capacity,
multiple vehicles and simultaneous, and dispersed operations.

While all spaceflight operations involving transportation to, from, or
through near-Earth space are coordinated using the distributed
network-centric architecture, some are controlled through it as well.
This is the case when the mission is to provide transportation and the
spaceflight operation is conducted using a vehicle without a crew on
board. For suborbital flights, the distributed network-centric
architecture provides support throughout the entire spaceflight
operation, interfacing with the spaceport, air traffic control
facilities, and space traffic managers, as required, as the vehicle
moves from one region of jurisdiction to another.

When a flight vehicle providing transportation has a crew on board, the
crew controls the vehicle. For flights of vehicles with a crew aboard,
the distributed network-centric architecture is used by the flight crew
and mission controllers (in cases involving a mission control center)
during departure and return operations or in the event of an early
in-flight abort, leading to an emergency return and landing/recovery.

When the mission is conducted over an extended period of time in or
beyond Earth orbit, then a mission control center provides the control.
The functions of a mission control center are separate from the
functions of the distributed network-centric architecture, though the
mission control center does interface with other control centers through
the network during the transportation phases of the mission. The
distributed network-centric architecture is not typically utilized
during the routine on-orbit operations in LEO or beyond (except to
monitor them on an exception basis, in "notification" mode) to
coordinate and prepare to support emergency or unplanned reentry and
return flight, along with landing/recovery.

Figure 19 illustrates the connectivity and interactions among the
various types of control centers during in-flight activities.

The Distributed Network-Centric Architecture allocates command and
control authority for suborbital flights. For a long-duration
spaceflight in LEO or beyond, the Mission Control Center has primary
authority. Air Traffic Control Facilities and Space Traffic Managers
have authority to provide routing instructions during flight through
regions of jurisdiction.

![](media/image22.jpeg){width="6.495138888888889in"
height="4.682638888888889in"}

**Figure 19. Flight Operations**

As noted in Figure 19, air traffic control facilities and space traffic
managers monitor and issue routing instructions to suborbital hypersonic
point-to-point flights as they fly en route between spaceports to ensure
safety and separation from other traffic and potential hazards including
weather systems and orbiting debris.

Further, automated on-board systems perform flight control activities
according to the predefined (and approved) flight profile. In the event
of in-flight anomalies, onboard vehicle and payload diagnostic systems
identify the problem, notify the vehicle operator (i.e., the flight crew
or a ground controller) and autonomously switch to redundant systems or
implement self-healing processes, as applicable. These onboard systems
generate a notification to all concerned parties and distribute the
findings through the vehicle's telemetry stream to the distributed
network-centric architecture, where it's distributed to all interested
parties on the global network. If required based on the automated
analysis of expert systems, the distributed network-centric architecture
also passes the information to the scheduling function to revise
post-flight maintenance and refurbishment schedules, order parts through
the automated logistics system, etc.

During flight operations in LEO and beyond, the mission control center
is responsible for monitoring and controlling spaceflight activities
such as payload deployments, on-orbit repair of space-based assets, and
the assembly of space vehicles and systems for exploration. During
on-orbit operations, the crew maintains contact with the mission control
center via a direct link. The MCC works with the crew to carry out all
of its objectives and to respond to unexpected events.

[5.1.4.2 Monitoring in "Notification" Mode]{.underline}

For spaceflight operations in LEO or beyond, the mission control center
maintains continuous contact with the flight vehicle (and crew, if
applicable). The mission control center remains connected to the global
network that's managed by the distributed network-centric architecture.
All other control centers passively monitor the network in
"notification" mode in case the mission control center issues a message
requesting support for an unscheduled return and landing/recovery
through the distributed network-centric architecture.

When such a request is received, the distributed network-centric
architecture processes requests for emergency support from space traffic
managers, air traffic control facilities, and spaceports, as required.
Each of these centers actively monitors the operation from that point
until its conclusion. It also tasks automated expert systems to modify
the schedule for spaceport and range support to ensure assets will be
available to support the emergency reentry, return flight, and
landing/recovery.

**5.1.5 Return and Landing**

![](media/image19.wmf){width="4.004861111111111in"
height="2.5520833333333335in"}The return and landing function includes
the monitoring, commanding, and control of a space vehicle as well as
the execution of operations related to de-orbit, reentry and return
flight through the NAS and NextGen. This also includes the safe return
of expendable stages or strap on motors during launch and reusable
flight vehicles after in-space operations are complete.

For vehicles returning to Earth, the spaceport (and MCC, if applicable)
work in conjunction with the applicable space traffic manager and ATC
Facility to hand-off (i.e., positively transfer responsibility) from one
control center to another as the vehicle transitions from spaceflight to
atmospheric flight during the reentry phase. In every case, this handoff
process requires a request from the control center that is handing off
responsibility, an acknowledgement from the center that is picking up
the responsibility, and a confirmation from the original center.

Figure 20 illustrates the roles of each type of control center in
supporting return and landing operations.

The spaceport retains primary control over return and landing
operations, while Air Traffic Control Facilities and Space Traffic
Managers in coordination with Mission Control Center, if applicable)
provide routing instructions during transit through their regions of
jurisdiction.

![](media/image23.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.3381944444444445in"}

**Figure 20. Return and Landing Operations**

Emergency reentry/return/landing/recovery operations are implemented to
accommodate unscheduled return flights in case of system failures or
vehicle performance problems that result in flights being aborted.

[5.1.5.1 Reentry]{.underline}

Prior to de-orbit, the mission control center has the primary
responsibility for all preparation activities leading up to reentry into
the Earth's atmosphere, including coordination through the distributed
network-centric architecture for all required support from other control
centers that are responsible for the regions the vehicle will transit on
its way toward landing/recovery.

The mission control center (and the flight crew, if applicable)
maintains direct contact (through the global network that's managed by
the distributed network-centric architecture) with control centers that
have authority and jurisdiction over the regions being traversed along
the flight path. Space traffic managers monitor and ensure safety and
separation during de-orbit and reentry maneuvers. For vehicles returning
to Earth, the applicable Air Traffic Control Facility works with the
applicable space traffic managers to clear the airspace as the vehicle
transitions to gliding, powered, or ballistic flight after the reentry
phase. This also includes the safe return of expendable stages or strap
on motors during launch and reusable flight vehicles after in-space
operations are complete.

[5.1.5.2 Return Flight]{.underline}

Once the vehicle enters the National Airspace System, the responsible
space traffic managers hand-off responsibility to the applicable
spaceport where the vehicle will land. The spaceport coordinates with
the applicable air traffic control facilities to ensure safety and
separation during the descending flight through the atmosphere.

[5.1.5.3 Landing/Recovery]{.underline}

The spaceport maintains responsibility for issuing routing instructions
to the flight crew (when applicable) and/or to the ground control center
responsible for the flight, throughout return flight and
landing/recovery at the applicable spaceport.

**5.1.6 Refurbishment and Turnaround**

[5.1.6.1 Post-Flight Processing]{.underline}

![](media/image24.wmf){width="4.0in"
height="2.5479166666666666in"}Post-flight processing includes
deactivating the flight vehicle and support systems that were engaged in
managing its safe return and landing/recovery.

It includes activating the facilities and ground support systems that
will be used in safing and de-servicing the flight vehicle and
payload/cargo to eliminate potential hazards.

It also includes ensuring the safe egress of the flight crew and/or
passengers from the flight vehicle. It also includes taking actions to
address any anomaly reports or repair orders that were generated during
the flight by the on-board health monitoring system.

Upon completion of a spaceflight operation, automated health management
systems report status to the distributed network-centric architecture.
This information is used to generate and distribute routine
post-operation reports on operations center usage and performance. These
reports are used to generate bills for users and provide updated inputs
to the automated scheduling system to generate maintenance and repair
orders.

As is the case during pre-launch processing, problems are highlighted
and anticipated by automated processes to support management decisions.
Through the use of automated processes, standardization and intelligent
computing systems, post-flight processing requirements can be tracked in
real-time based on information gathered from all elements of the space
transportation system through the global network that's managed by the
distributed network-centric architecture.

Figure 21 illustrates the processes and interactions involved in
refurbishment and turnaround operations.

The Vehicle and Payload Control Centers have primary control over
refurbishment and turnaround operations.

![](media/image25.jpeg){width="6.492361111111111in"
height="4.166666666666667in"}

**Figure 21. Refurbishment and Turnaround**

[5.1.6.2 Data Archival, Analysis and Reporting]{.underline}

Data archival, analysis and reporting include preserving flight
operations and vehicle data. After the completion of a spaceflight
operation, this data is analyzed by automated expert systems to provide
more complete understanding and insight into such things as vehicle
performance, trends, system anomalies, and maintenance or repair
actions. The results from this analysis are used to generate post-flight
anomaly reports and to schedule maintenance and repair activities.

Data is digitally recorded, stored, archived using expandable, modular,
network-accessible systems for mass storage of voice, video and data
streaming from each flight. This data is stored in the central archival
database and is available at user request without bandwidth and data
latency limitations. Final flight data is retrieved as needed by various
users in completing post flight analysis and reports.

[]{.mark}

## 5.2 Mass Public Space Transportation 

Spaceflight operations in the first two eras are transformed over time
through incremental technology development steps to make spaceflight
safer, more responsive and cost-effective. As a result, in the third
era, space travel is transformed from an occasional occurrence to a
routine and frequently-used mode of mass public space transportation
using a variety of spaceports around the world, as illustrated in Figure
22. This transformation is reminiscent of the growth of the global
commercial air transportation system that emerged and grew through the
second half of the twentieth century.

The incremental deployment of technologies and standards throughout the
previous two eras can be viewed as an incremental, spiral development
approach toward a global space transportation model that provides
routine, affordable travel to, through, and from space. Spaceports and
vehicles comply with compatibility standards in this era, resulting in
global interoperability across spaceports, vehicles and various types of
control centers. This degree of interoperability allows practically any
type of reusable spaceflight vehicle to be processed, launched from, or
landed/recovered at virtually any spaceport worldwide. The global
network of spaceports---each with standardized interfaces---enables
routine hypersonic point-to-point flights to destinations around the
world.

![](media/image26.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="3.832638888888889in"}

**Figure 22. Future Spaceports Around the World**

Spaceflight operations in the third era are conducted so frequently and
routinely that some of the steps in the lifecycle described above are
combined and compressed, as explained in the following paragraphs.

**5.2.1 Planning and Scheduling**

An important feature of the FSTS in the third era is that flight
profiles for suborbital point-to-point flights are constrained by
orbital mechanics, so the flight routes between major destinations are
well-defined and established for frequent and routine flights. These
constraints help to bind the planning and schedule de-confliction
processes, helping to make them manageable by automated systems. These
automated systems rely on artificial intelligence and sophisticated
computer models using real-time situational awareness information to
analyze alternative courses of action and automatically develop
solutions with a minimum of human intervention.

To enable planning and scheduling during the third era, all launch and
support systems are part of an integrated, high-capacity, redundant,
self-configuring, secure, worldwide network. This network is controlled
and managed by the distributed network-centric architecture, as in the
previous eras, but the network is much more extensive in the third era,
requiring even more automation and capacity than before to support
greater numbers of nodes and operations. The network is accessible by
all authenticated operators and users, regardless of their locations,
including those who manage spaceport and range support for spaceflight
operations, as well as those who provide transportation services by
conducting routine spaceflight operations.

The distributed network-centric architecture is now used to manage the
functions of dozens of spaceports and hundreds of flights each day.
These activities are supported by the same types of control centers that
operated during the first two eras. This control center architecture is
still analogous to today's air traffic management system. However, the
operators in these control centers in the third era rely on even more
heavily on sophisticated automated capabilities to manage more types of
vehicles and more frequent flights, including multiple simultaneous
operations. Automated data fusion and data mining techniques enable
users and operators at each type of control center to quickly extract
relevant information from the data that's being collected and routed on
the global network.

State-of-the-art weather forecasting and decision support systems nearly
eliminate launch delays and scrubs due to conservatism and buffers to
account for the lack of precision in weather forecasts, improving the
availability of spaceport facilities and systems to support the routine
launch and landing of spaceflight vehicles.

**5.2.2 Processing, Refurbishment, and Turnaround**

The efficiency of vehicle processing and operations during the third era
enables the commercial spaceflight market to flourish and become an
integral part of the worldwide multi-modal transportation system. Dozens
of flights per day are common at each active spaceport around the world,
with takeoffs and landings occurring multiple times per hour. Thousands
of passengers depart and arrive on hundreds of hypersonic RLV flights
around the world each day, servicing dozens of destinations across the
country and all over the globe.

Accommodating such a busy flight schedule drives the need for
processing, refurbishment, and turnaround of reusable spaceflight
vehicles (and their support systems) between flights in ways that
resemble airline processing operations at airports today. That means
integrated health monitoring systems are reliable and accurate enough to
enable as-needed maintenance actions to be detected and conducted
quickly on an exception basis without requiring the flight vehicle to be
transported to specialized maintenance facilities. It also means most
processing and turnaround operations between flights are conducted in
parallel to accommodate tight turnaround schedules. Finally, it means
that Vehicle and Payload Processing Control Centers and dedicated
facilities are only used for major depot-level maintenance and periodic
overhaul or fleet modernization activities---not for routine
between-flight maintenance.

Instead, safer and more automated vehicle and ground systems enable more
efficient parallel processing and maintenance actions between routine
flights. Propellant loading operations use safe, automated, efficient,
standardized interfaces and procedures, requiring less time and reduced
standoffs compared to today's systems. All vehicle interfaces at
spaceports, including electrical power and air conditioning from ground
systems, cargo loading/unloading, and crew/passenger ingress and egress
paths, rely on adjustable ground support equipment to accommodate
different vehicle configurations, within the limits defined by the
widely-accepted standards. In short, in the third era, RLV processing
between flights resembles airline operations at gates on the ground at
airports today.

**5.2.3 Departure and Arrival, Return and Landing Operations**

The spaceport operates much like the Terminal Control Center at airports
today, controlling departure, arrival, return, and landing operations.
The spaceport coordinates departing and arriving flights with air
traffic control facilities in the area and with the space traffic
managers with jurisdiction over parts of the world. As the flight
vehicle leaves its area of responsibility, the spaceport hands-off
responsibility for routing routine suborbital flights to the space
traffic manager. For longer flights, it in turn, hands-off
responsibility to another space traffic manager along the intended
flight path, and so on, until the vehicle arrives at the spaceport where
the spacecraft is scheduled to land.

**5.2.4 Flight Operations**

As vehicles depart the spaceport, future range capabilities (now
integrated seamlessly with the spaceport capabilities through the
distributed network-centric architecture) provide continuous, robust,
and redundant worldwide tracking, telemetry, commanding, and
communications coverage. As a result of the spiral development over the
previous two eras, space-based and ground-based systems in the third era
have the capacity to support increased space transportation traffic. As
a result, unmanned aerial vehicles and high altitude airships are still
used to provide additional tracking telemetry, command, control and
communications for some specific operations (mainly flight test and
evaluation), but these supplemental capabilities are typically not used
to support the routine and frequent spaceflight operations between
well-established spaceports that characterize the bulk of the activity
in the third era.

Incremental technology development over the first two eras reduces the
human workload involved in supporting spaceflight operations in the
third era. Increasingly sophisticated automated decision support systems
allow control center operators and flight crews to concentrate on only
those critical decisions and flight-unique operations that actually
require human intervention. The use of intelligent expert systems and
sensors to improve situational awareness increases safety and
reliability and decreases operator workload.

Consequently, operators in control centers are able to support more
flights simultaneously. Another benefit is the reduction in human errors
from misdiagnosis of anomalous data signatures, lack of complete
situational awareness with regard to system health and status, and
errors in entering or communicating instructions or commands.
Additionally, using standard interfaces and commercial off the shelf
(COTS) products to deliver data provide shared situational awareness in
real-time for operations personnel dispersed across the nation and the
globe, enabling them to work together to achieve a smooth flow of
operations and handoffs from one control center to another.

Spaceflight operations in the third era still require a certain amount
of human involvement in some activities, however, the use of artificial
intelligence and expert systems and self-diagnosing, self-healing
systems both on the ground and onboard vehicles; provide rapid anomaly
identification and resolution so operators make informed, well-timed
decisions during all aspects of flight operations.

[]{.mark}

# 6.0 design reference missions

This section describes how future spaceflight operations and activities
are conducted to support multiple types of space transportation and
flight test activities. These examples were chosen from the three Design
Reference Missions (DRM) categories illustrated in Figure 23.

Three Design Reference Mission categories address routine and responsive
ops plus T&E.

![](media/image27.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

**Figure 23. Design Reference Missions and Example Scenarios**

The scenario described in this section highlights several examples of
spaceflight operations derived from the DRMs, but it only depicts one
day's operations. The context for that day's operations is depicted in
the year-long schedule of activities in Figure 24.

[]{.mark}

A typical future year, as envisioned for the third era, will include
many routine, responsive, and flight test and evaluation activities,
with frequent overlapping and concurrent operations.

![](media/image28.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}

**Figure 24. Example Missions for a Future Year in the Third Era**

Each spaceflight operation described in this section was chosen to
illustrate how particular functions and capabilities are employed in
support of each of the DRMs in the third era, and how the spaceflight
concept of operations provides responsive, flexible, adaptable
capabilities to support a variety of spaceflight operations and
activities, when needed anywhere in the world. As highlighted in Figure
24, the six specific example flights are:

1.  Routine commercial suborbital RLV flight

2.  Routine scheduled NASA launch to support a crewed spaceflight to the
    Moon

3.  Scheduled NASA launch to support a crewed spaceflight to Mars

4.  Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Prompt Global Strike (PGS),
    and/or Conventional Strike Missile (CSM).

5.  Flight test of a new prototype DoD Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle (HCV)

6.  Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) flight test involving two
    targets and two interceptors

**[Flight #1 Routine Commercial RLV Flight]{.underline} -** A routine,
regularly scheduled sub orbital commercial tourist flight from Oklahoma
to California illustrates the need for the future range to provide
enhanced capabilities in terms of:

+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Flight Rate**  | Dozens of sub orbital flights per year in the     |
|                  | second era, characterized by responsive space     |
|                  | launch and human exploration, and dozens per week |
|                  | in the third era, characterized by mass public    |
|                  | space travel                                      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Frequent flights, changes to flight plans,        |
| Responsiveness** | contingency operations                            |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Global         | To accommodate takeoffs and landings at dispersed |
| Coverage**       | locations                                         |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | To enable point-to-point flights using multiple   |
| Standardization/ | spaceports                                        |
| In               |                                                   |
| teroperability** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Evolve         | To enable flights of commercial RLVs over         |
| Safety**         | populated centers                                 |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Flexibilit     | To support operations to and from new locations   |
| y/Adaptability** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Concurrent     | To routinely accommodate multiple simultaneous    |
| Operations**     | flights                                           |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Minimize Cost  | > To enable development of commercial tourism,    |
| Growth**         | > package delivery, and other markets             |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

**Flight #2 Routine NASA launch supporting a crewed spaceflight to the
Moon** - A scheduled launch of a NASA Orion crew exploration vehicle
(CEV) aboard an Ares I Launch Vehicle (EELV) to rendezvous with a
previously launched heavy lift launch vehicle, Ares V, with a Lunar
Surface Exploration Module (LSAM) to embark on a crewed spaceflight to
the Moon illustrates the need for:

  ------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------
  **Evolve Safety**              To enable flights of crewed vehicles on expendable
                                 boosters

  **Flexibility/Adaptability**   To support operations with virtually instantaneous
                                 launch windows

  **Concurrent Operations**      To routinely accommodate multiple simultaneous
                                 flights

  **Minimize Cost Growth**       To enable an affordable human exploration program
  ------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------

**Flight #3 NASA launch supporting a crewed spaceflight to Mars** -- A
pioneering launch of a NASA super heavy lift launch vehicle to lift some
spacecraft elements into orbit to support a first ever crewed
spaceflight to Mars illustrates the need for improvements in the
following areas:

  ------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------
  **Global Coverage**            To accommodate two-way high data-rate voice, video,
                                 telemetry data, command, control, and communication
                                 to and from multiple vehicles virtually worldwide,
                                 through launch and on-orbit operations, and
                                 throughout the course of extended duration
                                 deep-space missions

  **Evolve Safety**              To enable flights of crewed vehicles on expendable
                                 boosters

  **Flexibility/Adaptability**   To support operations with virtually instantaneous
                                 launch windows

  **Concurrent Operations**      To routinely accommodate multiple simultaneous
                                 flights

  **Minimize Cost Growth**       To enable an affordable human exploration program
  ------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------

**Flight #4** **Operationally Responsive Space (ORS), Prompt Global
Strike (PGS), and/or Conventional Strike Missile (CSM)** --
Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) to inspect a damaged spacecraft in
orbit and to deliver Conventional Strike Missile (CSM) prompt global
strike platforms in response to foreign acts of aggression on United
States interests illustrate the need for future spaceflight operations
to provide enhanced capabilities in terms of:

+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Flight Rate**  | Up to dozens of sub orbital flights per week in   |
|                  | the second era, characterized by responsive space |
|                  | launch and human exploration, and dozens per week |
|                  | in the third era, characterized by mass public    |
|                  | space travel                                      |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | Launch within hours of notification in the first  |
| Responsiveness** | and second era and within minutes of notification |
|                  | in the third era                                  |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Global         | To provide continuous, reliable, secure           |
| Coverage**       | communications connectivity worldwide for         |
|                  | telemetry and positive command and control        |
|                  | between the operations control center and the     |
|                  | launch vehicle, inspection spacecraft, and CSM    |
|                  | throughout the duration of the mission, including |
|                  | through plasma during reentry                     |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **               | To enable use of multiple launch sites in the     |
| Standardization/ | continental U.S. as well as airborne platforms    |
| In               | over the Oceans                                   |
| teroperability** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Evolve         | To enable responsive launches during development, |
| Safety**         | operational testing, and operations in response   |
|                  | to threats                                        |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Flexibilit     | To support operations to and from new locations   |
| y/Adaptability** |                                                   |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Concurrent     | To routinely accommodate multiple simultaneous    |
| Operations**     | flights                                           |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| **Minimize Cost  | > To enable development and use of CSM when       |
| Growth**         | > needed                                          |
+------------------+---------------------------------------------------+

**Flight #5 - Flight Test of a New, Prototype DoD Hypersonic Cruise
Vehicle** - A flight test of a new, prototype DoD Hypersonic Cruise
Vehicle (HCV) in development illustrates the need for future spaceflight
operations to provide enhanced capabilities in terms of:

  ------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------
  **Responsiveness**             Aeronautical systems typically undergo multiple
                                 flight tests per day, requiring constant schedule
                                 flexibility and short-notice re-scheduling of
                                 operations and range support

  **Global Coverage**            To support concurrent operations, each with its own
                                 high data-rate telemetry requirements, within the
                                 limits of available spectrum

  **Standardization/             Aeronautical systems (including hypersonic
  Interoperability**             vehicles) operate point-to-point using multiple
                                 takeoff and landing sites

  **Evolve Safety**              To enable responsive launches during development,
                                 operational testing, and operations in response to
                                 threats

  **Flexibility/Adaptability**   To support operations to and from new locations

  **Concurrent Operations**      With various aeronautical systems typically
                                 undergoing multiple flight tests per day (resulting
                                 in thousands of flight tests per year), it's very
                                 common to have to provide range support for
                                 multiple simultaneous operations
  ------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------

**Flight #6 Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) flight test
involving two targets and two interceptors -** A ballistic missile
defense system (BMDS) flight test involving two targets and two
interceptors, each flying over the Pacific Ocean from different launch
locations, tests the ability of the interceptors to engage and destroy
the targets during all phases of flight, and illustrates the need to
provide enhanced spaceflight operational capabilities in terms of:

The scenario described in this section includes examples to illustrate
the operations associated with each of these spaceflight operations,
including interactions among them when operations overlap and require
concurrent support as shown in 24.

The design reference missions described in this section includes a
variety of overlapping and concurrent spaceflight operations.

![](media/image29.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}

**Figure 25. Reference Mission Scenarios**

While it is unlikely any actual single day would be quite as eventful as
the day described in this scenario, the examples are intended to
illustrate how a future network-centric range with global connectivity
is able to responsively support various types of concurrent spaceflight
operations and activities, using its inherent flexibility and
adaptability to transition from one operation to another.

Based on the assumptions listed in Section 3.0, as well as the
description of the capabilities in the Architecture section, this
scenario is intended to illustrate an integrated, interoperable approach
for conducting future civil, national security and commercial space
transportation operations that is more:

-   Similar to the operation of today's commercial air transportation
    system

-   Independent of vehicle architecture

-   Economical and streamlined than today's approach to spaceflight
    operations

-   Able to accommodate more frequent flights with shorter lead time

-   Able to manage multiple flights and activities simultaneously

-   Automated and less manpower-intensive

-   Seamlessly integrated with the NAS and NextGen via the Space and Air
    Traffic Management System (SATMS).

This scenario illustrates how operations are conducted in the third era
characterized by mass public space transportation. This section
emphasizes the actions of spaceflight operators (whether on-board flight
vehicles or in various types of control centers) and their interactions
with other elements of the FSTS: spaceports and ranges. It builds on the
conceptual architecture and operating models for future spaceflight
operations described above, to conduct current, emerging, and projected
future national security, civil, and commercial flight operations to,
through, and from space.

## Routine Commercial Suborbital RLV Flight

A routine commercial suborbital flight from Oklahoma to California
highlights needs for responsive support from various Control Centers
with the capacity to support frequent and concurrent flights,
standardization & interoperability to support point-to-point flights,
safety approvals for overland flight, flexibility and adaptability to
accommodate schedule changes, and low-cost operations to sustain and
expand commercial markets.

![](media/image30.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}

**Figure 26. Operations Support for Commercial Suborbital RLV Flight**

## NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) Launch to the Moon

A NASA launch of a crew exploration vehicle (CEV) for a human expedition
to the moon highlights the need for evolved safety to enable flights of
crewed vehicles on expendable boosters, flexibility and adaptability to
support operations with virtually instantaneous launch windows,
concurrent operations to routinely accommodate multiple simultaneous
flights, and minimized cost to enable an affordable human exploration
program.

![](media/image31.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}

**Figure 27. NASA Launch of Crewed Spaceflight to the Moon**

## 6.3 NASA Super Heavy Lift Vehicle for Spaceflight to Mars

A NASA launch of a super heavy lift vehicle to support a crewed
spaceflight to Mars highlights the need for more efficient use of
frequency spectrum to provide telemetry, command, control, and
communication links with sufficient capacity.

![](media/image32.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}

**Figure 28. NASA Launch of Crewed Spaceflight to Mars**

## 6.4 Operationally Responsive Space (ORS), Prompt Global Strike (PGS), and/or Conventional Strike Missile (CSM) 

Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) launches of prompt global strikes
highlight the need for responsive operations with the capacity to
support frequent and concurrent flights, global communication
connectivity for positive control throughout the flights,
standardization & interoperability to support launches from multiple
locations, safety approvals for responsive flights, flexibility and
adaptability to accommodate frequent flights from multiple locations,
efficient use of frequency spectrum for secure communication worldwide,
and through plasma during reentry, and low-cost operations.

![](media/image33.jpeg){width="6.5in" height="4.875in"}

**Figure 29. Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Prompt Global Strike
(PGS) and/or Conventional Strike Missile (CSM)**

## 6.5 Flight Test of a New Prototype DoD Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle (HCV)

Flight test & evaluation of a new prototype DoD hypersonic cruise
vehicle highlights needs for responsiveness to support multiple
concurrent aeronautical flight tests per day, standardization and
interoperability to enable point-to-point flight operations, and
efficient use of frequency spectrum to support high data-rate
requirements for multiple vehicles.

![](media/image34.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}

**Figure 30. Flight Test & Evaluation for New Prototype DoD Hypersonic
Cruise Vehicle (HCV)**

## 6.6 Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) Flight Test 

A mission scenario depicting a two-on-two ballistic missile defense
system (BMDS) flight test involving two targets and two interceptors.
Each launched from a different location highlights needs for global
coverage to provide telemetry, optics, radar, and other support over
broad ocean areas, standardization and interoperability to enable target
and interceptor launches from multiple locations, evolved safety
approval processes to enable complex intercept tests, and flexibility
and adaptability to accommodate frequent flights and schedule changes.

![](media/image35.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.870833333333334in"}

**Figure 31. Two-on-Two Ballistic Missile Defense System Flight Test**

# 7.0 ENABLING CAPABILITIES

This section describes the enabling capabilities that will be necessary
to enable future spaceflight operations as described in this ConOps.
While it is not the primary purpose of this ConOps to envision new
technologies or capabilities, this ConOps is intended to describe new
ways of operating with technologies or capabilities that are likely to
exist in the future. Hence, this section describes a variety of
technology areas and standardization approaches that address the
technical challenges that stand in the way of achieving the necessary
capabilities to enable future spaceflight operations as envisioned.

## 7.1 Technologies

This enabling technology roadmap presents a time-phased approach to
addressing the technical challenges associated with achieving the
necessary capabilities for the envisioned future spaceflight operations
described in this ConOps.

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="4.690277777777778in"}

**Figure 32. Enabling Technology Roadmap**

The enabling technology roadmap depicted in Figure 32 presents the
recommended time-phased approach to pursuing these technology
development and demonstration activities over time. The five technology
areas addressed in this section are:

-   Self-Healing Systems

-   Network and Data-Handling

-   Integrated Software Planning and Scheduling

-   Modeling and Simulation

-   Weather Measurement and Forecasting

The remainder of this section describes opportunities and
recommendations regarding development and demonstration activities that
should be pursued to address each of these areas and enable the future
spaceflight operations capabilities envisioned in this ConOps.

**7.1.1 Self-Healing Systems**

Technology development and demonstration activities to enable the
incorporation of integrated health monitoring, auto-configuring and
self-healing capabilities into future spaceport, range, and flight
vehicle systems will:

-   Enhance reliability and availability;

-   Enable automated planning, scheduling, coordination and
    configuration of spaceport and range assets to support responsive
    and concurrent ground processing and spaceflight operations at a
    higher operations tempo;

-   Support improved real-time situational awareness based on area
    surveillance and flight vehicle information; and

-   Enable automated decision-making support capabilities.

This enabling technology area could be pursued in the near-term by
adapting built-in test equipment from the automotive and aviation
industries, along with use of software wrappers to enable continued use
of some legacy spaceport and range systems in the new network-centric
environment while individual new systems are incrementally brought
on-line to improve future range operations. In the mid-term, these
technologies could be combined to enable the development of
self-diagnostic systems. The roadmap also recommends pursuing parallel
near- and mid-term technology improvements in tiny sensors along with
modeling and simulation to better predict component and system failures
as means of enhancing the built-in diagnostic capabilities of range
systems.

In parallel, near-term technology efforts to improve interoperability
and remote repair capabilities could enable evolution in the mid-term to
technologies for automated system configuration and tele-operations to
accomplish repairs of remotely-located systems and components. All of
these technologies could be combined in the far-term to enable systems
with integrated and autonomous health monitoring, diagnostic,
auto-reconfiguration, and ultimately, self-healing capabilities.

**7.1.2 Network and Data Handling**

Improving the data handling and network capabilities to distribute,
record, store, archive, and retrieve voice, video, and data over the
global network will:

-   Improve interoperability among spaceports, ranges and control
    centers, with national airspace management systems, and with user
    networks and systems.

-   Take advantage of common, standard interfaces, protocols, and
    formats for processing, transferring, displaying, and coordinating
    data and information so it can be fused and integrated more simply
    for information displays depicting situational awareness.

-   Leverage use of commercial-off-the-shelf systems that incorporate
    standard, expandable, plug-and-play capabilities and network
    architectures to enable use of advanced data handling capabilities
    being developed for a variety of applications, as well as a variety
    of innovative digital data storage and display capabilities.

Technology efforts in this area focus on leveraging ground and wireless
network development efforts being pursued for commercial applications.
Technologies to improve ground-based networks include near-term
integration of digital voice, video, and data streams along with
development of new protocols and next-generation Internet research
that's already being pursued for a variety of commercial applications.
These technologies should be further refined, combined, and leveraged to
ensure that future range data transport systems are compatible with the
planned and emerging Global Information Grid.

Data handling technologies should focus in the near-term on standard
interfaces and plug-and-play algorithms. In parallel, future technology
development efforts should focus on enabling increasingly sophisticated
levels of data fusion from a variety of disparate sources, starting with
rule-based methods, then incorporating fuzzy logic, and expert systems
later. Meanwhile, the development of standards and protocols to document
data and network-based embedded software should be pursued in parallel
to enhance the compatibility of data and simplify its combined use.

Commercial advances in computing technologies should also be leveraged
and pursued in parallel to enhance data handling capabilities on ranges.
Under the data processing heading, commercial technologies to improve
the speed of processors, coding and embedded processors, including
serializer/deserializer (SerDes) chips and associated protocols, should
be leveraged to enhance global network capabilities.

With regard to digital data recording, storage, archiving, and
retrieval, commercial off the shelf, expandable, modular,
network-accessible, automated mixed media library systems are available
today to enable access to more than a dozen types of storage media. A
wide variety of research projects are currently underway for a variety
of commercial and defense applications. Some explore new digital data
recording, storage, archiving, and retrieval architectures concepts,
techniques, and implementations that reduce data bandwidth and data
access latency limitations. Commercial efforts to improve data recording
and archiving technologies (e.g., magnetic, optical, and hybrid arrays)
should also be leveraged for use as part of the global network
supporting spaceflight operations. Others are intended to simplify the
design of complex embedded systems by focusing on ways to automate
network controller design and systems integration. Still other projects
are pursuing standards for high-density optical, magnetic, volumetric,
hybrid, organic, cellular, and tissue-based memory systems that are less
sensitive to losses induced from reading the data. All of these
technology development activities could be leveraged to improve the
ability of the FSTS and its global network to efficiently handle data.

Finally, display technologies should address improvements in
human-machine interfaces, human factors, and various technologies to
enhance the ability to display information in ways that are both
intuitive and meaningful to system operators and users as well as flight
crews.

**7.1.3 Integrated Software Planning and Scheduling**

Various integrated software planning and scheduling technologies should
be leveraged from the commercial sector to:

-   Improve the efficiency of planning, scheduling, and coordinating
    spaceport, range, and control center support, and

-   Enable centralized control of more complex and frequent global
    operations.

These include commercial efforts to develop increasingly sophisticated,
automated, and autonomous tools using rule- and knowledge-based
algorithms, data mining techniques, and methods of standardization and
integration to enable sharing of databases and automation of scheduling
functions, including de-confliction of large numbers of operations using
limited resources. Information assurance principles must be included and
addressed in parallel to enable these capabilities to be applied in
applications that could include safety and security risks associated
with spaceflight operations.

**7.1.4 Modeling and Simulation**

Technologies to improve modeling and simulation apply to a variety of
spaceflight operations functions, but focus in large part on:

-   Safety, as enhanced by automated decision-making analysis and
    support, relating to toxic, debris, and collision hazards;

-   Weather-related constraints, including modeling of atmospheric and
    environmental parameters in combination with the dispersal
    characteristics of leaking or exploding propellants and vehicle
    debris after breakup;

-   Simulation of the reliability and failure modes of spaceport, range,
    and control center assets to support planning, scheduling, and
    coordination of assets for operational use and maintenance/repair;
    and

-   Training, using sophisticated modeling and simulation capabilities.

Data handling technologies described above can contribute to modeling
and simulation, but technologies to improve visualization and
integration of modeling outputs should also be pursued to take full
advantage of the increasingly capable models. Increasingly capable
models also rely on more accurate input data and more complete
understanding of physical processes, so improved sensor capabilities can
also contribute to improvements in this area.

Three technology areas would have to be developed together to enable
enhancements in collision avoidance: increasingly sophisticated
predictive models for air and space traffic, adaptive
guidance/navigation/control technologies that can respond correctly and
in time to avoid impending collisions, and automated systems to assist
in executing collision avoidance maneuvers within the structural
limitations of vehicles in various phases of flight from launch through
landing.

**7.1.5 Weather Measurement and Forecasting**

A variety of technologies should be pursued to enhance the ability of
spaceports and ranges to measure and forecast weather conditions,
including lightning, to enhance the safety and efficiency of ground
processing and flight operations.

These include improved sensor technologies, first on the ground and
later as instruments to be carried on space-based or mobile airborne
platforms, improved models to take multiple conditions and phenomena
into account in modeling and forecasting regional (or meso-scale)
weather patterns. Communicating the inputs and results of these improved
models also requires improvements in technologies for data assimilation
and fusion, combined with computerized output generation and
communication.

As a final note, many of the technology areas listed above and depicted
on the enabling technology roadmap overlap with many other areas of
applicability besides spaceflight operations. This overlap leads to
possibilities for synergy and collaboration to advocate, develop, and
demonstrate technologies with a variety of applications, both on and
outside ranges.

## 7.2 Standardization 

Even today, the nation's spaceports, ranges, and control centers are the
product of substantial investments to provide shared-use supporting
infrastructure for flight test and operational spaceflights. For future
spaceflight operations capabilities, standardization is an important
element of any strategy to increase availability of shared resources and
boost interoperability among vehicles operating to and from multiple
locations---a key element of the vision for future civil, commercial and
military space transportation that involves routine and frequent
point-to-point flights.

Designing flight vehicles to be compatible with a standard set of
spaceport, range, and control center interfaces would reduce the total
amount of infrastructure required to support projected future missions,
enhance interoperability by providing a common network-centric
architecture for connecting assets, improve safety (especially under
emergency conditions), and reduce total costs.

Standardization is most economical and operationally beneficial in
cases---as envisioned for the third era---characterized by mass public
space transportation and:

-   High operations tempo (i.e., more traffic)

-   Many different vehicle types interfacing with the same support
    infrastructure

-   Multiple takeoff/launch/landing/recovery locations in use to support
    point-to-point flights.

Adopting standards will also lead to benefits in designing future
in-space infrastructure in and beyond Earth orbit to support the U.S.
vision for space exploration to pursue Moon and Mars exploration. The
in-space navigation and communication infrastructure that will be
required to support these operations could leverage advanced
technologies developed initially for terrestrial applications.

Examples of areas where standardization will be both beneficial and
practical for enhancing the nation's ability to conduct spaceflight
operations include:

-   Wireless communication protocols

-   Schedule integration

-   Shared common databases

Standardization of spaceport, range, and control center infrastructure
is not a new concept, but it is essential to achieve the FIRST vision.
Standards will only be accepted if they benefit users by providing
economic advantages, improved capabilities, or more efficient
operations. Any standards development activities for the future of
spaceflight operations must be coordinated with and leverage established
standardization organizations and processes.

# 8.0 NextGen Capabilities

# There are needed capabilities within NextGen to support the space transportation ConOps. These are:

# Integrated communications, navigation and surveillance (CNS) services;

-   Automated spaceflight management tools; and

-   Policies, procedures and standards for safely separating space and
    air traffic, and managing the risk associated with space vehicles
    operating within extended NAS boundaries.

## Integrated CNS Services

NextGen will need to accommodate spacecraft transitioning to and from
space through the NAS. To accomplish this, space and air traffic
operations will need to be seamlessly integrated under a common CNS
infrastructure. Air traffic service providers will need to obtain
real-time space vehicle data (i.e., position and state vectors) for
situational awareness to support Collaborative Air Traffic Management
(CATM) and to protect air traffic from hazards associated with
spaceflight operations.

Automatic Dependent Surveillance -- Broadcast (ADS-B) can transmit
Global Positioning System (GPS) derived data (time, position, type,
speed, and aircraft identification) by means of a broadcast-mode data
link to users that are equipped to receive and process the data. In
addition to providing local air traffic information to the flight deck,
aircraft track data is transmitted to air traffic controllers on the
ground. The FAA anticipates that ADS-B will provide many benefits,
including extending the coverage of current ground-based secondary
surveillance radar, especially in en route and terminal areas, to
increasing air-to-air situational awareness, as well as on airport
surfaces to reduce incursions. ADS-B is being developed to meet future
aviation requirements. However, space vehicles transitioning to and from
space will also be operating in ADS-B serviced airspace. An enhanced
version of ADS-B that also meets the navigation and surveillance needs
for space vehicles operating within extended NAS boundaries will be
needed.

Track data and other space vehicle state information could be provided
to air traffic services via satellite data link and disseminated over
the System-Wide Information Management (SWIM) network. According to the
current Communications Enterprise Architecture (EA), the FAA is planning
to conduct studies to identify needs, requirements, and designs for
mobile air/ground communications. The EA roadmap shows digital
aeronautical-mobile services being developed in the 2008-2018 timeframe
and commercial satellite communications capabilities being developed in
the 2016-2022 timeframe. Aeronautical Data Link (ADL), another key
component of the EA, is scheduled to be developed in the 2008 to 2012
timeframe, with enhancements to provide expanded services being
developed in the 2016 to 2022 timeframe. This migration to a space-based
aeronautical communications architecture offers an opportunity to
include new customers, such as space vehicles, in the future
communications infrastructure not as add-ons, but as integrated
components of NextGen.

The FAA currently requires that operators have two independent methods
of tracking their space vehicles during ascent and descent. ADS-B could
satisfy one method of tracking, and an onboard Inertial Navigations
System (INS) with ADL could serve as the independent backup method.
Typically, telemetry data, which includes INS state vectors and other
vehicle and payload data, is down-linked from the rocket to the mission
control center (MCC) and the range during flight. In the future,
communications satellites could provide that link and an interface to
SWIM. SWIM will be both an information sharing and an application
integration platform which can provide authorized users and applications
the ability to securely obtain information in the required format from
source(s) at the appropriate time(s), independent of location.
Furthermore, SWIM will be compatible with other agency information
systems such as the Department of Defense's (DoD's) Global Information
Grid (GIG) Enterprise Services and other data sources.

The FAA, NASA and DoD are developing space-based CNS capabilities for
similar reasons -- all three agencies believe that a space-based
architecture provides global CNS services at a lower cost than
ground-based systems. Additionally, space and air traffic operations are
greatly affected by weather. These space and air traffic systems have
traditionally been, for the most part, separate and independent from
each other. Below are some of the benefits of developing a common
integrated space-based CNS infrastructure for both air traffic and space
operations:

-   It should be cheaper to combine the resources of three agencies to
    develop space-based CNS services, than if each agency were to
    independently develop separate systems.

-   The NextGen plan, which represents the interests' of seven federal
    agencies, calls for harmonization of avionics and procedures
    worldwide. An integrated space-based CNS infrastructure is probably
    the only feasible architecture to accomplish this goal.

-   SATMS will require integrated CNS services and a situational
    awareness picture that can provide flight plan, vehicle state, and
    CATM information for both aircraft and space vehicles operating in
    the NAS.

-   A common space-based CNS infrastructure is probably the best method
    to satisfy an FAA licensing requirement for tracking space vehicles,
    while also providing data to make national traffic flow management
    decisions that are equitable for all NAS users, especially as more
    spaceports become operational in the future.

## Spaceflight Management Tools

Advances in vehicle design, avionics, and air and space traffic
management technologies will make frequent commercial space access a
reality. Spaceflight management tools will be needed to help air traffic
service providers manage a diverse traffic mix of aircraft and space
vehicles operating within extended NAS boundaries. These tools will
require interfaces with space mission control centers, range, weather,
spacecraft, launch and landing support vehicles, and possibly other data
sources to provide situational awareness information.

Space transition corridor status information, space and air traffic
scheduling, and over-flight hazard area and exclusion zones, which vary
with time in size and geometry, will be managed with the help of
advanced decision support tools. The FAA is currently developing
prototype tools that could be used for off-line strategic planning and
tactical real-time operations. The tools will provide for centralized
command at the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), with
localized control at Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs) and
Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities. The primary
function of these tools will be to mitigate the risk to aircraft in
close proximity to space operations. Range and spaceport operators and
the FAA must ensure that surrounding airspace is clear of aircraft and
that procedures to protect the flying public from hazards associated
with spaceflight operations are implemented. In the off-line mode,
simulation and modeling tools will support the approval process for
spaceport site licenses, and space vehicle operator's licenses and
permits. Pre-flight planning tools will be used to evaluate the impact
of space operations on air traffic, and will help mission planners and
air traffic service providers to find optimal solutions to safely manage
concurrent operations. In real-time, space vehicle track data will be
integrated with air traffic data vis a common CNS infrastructure.
Tactical tools will be used to monitor operations, and when necessary,
to implement procedures that protect air traffic from potential hazards.

## Policies, Procedures and Standards

The following lists some issues and challenges with developing new
policies, procedures and standards for integration space operations into
NextGen:

-   Define new upper limits to the NAS and establish air traffic
    procedures for issuing clearances for operating within expanded NAS
    boundaries, including space transition corridors (STCs).

-   Establish new flight plans for space operations, and processing and
    disseminating flight plan data to the appropriate stakeholders.

-   Establish new air traffic procedures for space vehicle flight
    régimes such as controlled power ascent and descent,
    aircraft-ferried spacecraft, uncontrolled parachute descent, glider,
    etc.

-   Develop air traffic standards for separating aircraft and spacecraft
    in shared airspace while accounting for potential hazards and safety
    considerations associated with space vehicles, such as debris
    dispersion, toxic plume, overpressure shock wave, hazardous
    materials, unscheduled de-orbit, etc.

-   Determine flight deck, mission control, and air traffic control
    distributed air-ground decision making authorities and
    responsibilities.

-   Establish rules and procedures for operating autonomously controlled
    and remotely controlled vehicles, such as expendable launch vehicles
    (ELVs).

-   Establish standards and protocols for interfacing space CNS systems
    with air traffic systems.

-   Determine controller workload and crew rest requirements for space
    operations.

-   Develop standards for evaluating and approving proposed spaceflight
    operations, new vehicle concepts, and demonstrating new air traffic
    procedures.

# APPENDIX 1 -- GLOSSARY

**Abort.** A premature termination of an operation for any reason. The
abort may occur at any point from initiation of an operation to expected
completion.

**Airspace.** Space above the surface of the earth or a particular
portion of such space; usually defined by the boundaries of an area on
the surface, projected upward. Controlled airspace is the space within
which some or all aircraft may be subject to air traffic control.

**Analysis.** The verification by quantitative/qualitative evaluation
using system, subsystem, or component representation (e.g., mathematical
and/or computer models, simulations, algorithms, equations), charts,
graphs, circuit diagrams, and representative data or evaluation of
previously qualified equipment.

**Archive.** This function stores data for subsequent retrieval.

**Asset.** Anything available to the range that can be scheduled.
Examples of assets include instruments, facilities, vehicles and
personnel. Consumables are not assets.

**Automated.** The application of methods for making processes,
functions, algorithms, or equipment self-acting or self-moving; to make
automatic.

**Availability.** A measure of the degree to which an item is in an
operable and committable state at the start of a flight when the flight
is called for at an unknown (random) time. Availability is dependent on
reliability, maintainability, and logistics supportability.

**Centralized**. A capability of assets, group of assets, components,
functions, or processes anywhere in the LTRS such that they can be
monitored, controlled, displayed, recorded, etc.

**Collect.** The acquisition of data from various sources including
sensing, signal reception, generation, measurement, and observation.

**Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS).** Commercial product/equipment
designed for commercial use. It is procured exactly as found in the
commercial market, and the product/equipment changes and upgrades are
the same as vendor provides to his commercial customers.

**Concept of Operations (ConOps).** An Air Force document which
describes the sequenced actions and capabilities required to generate
the desired effects needed to achieve military objectives.

**Concurrent.** The occurrence of separate activities or events during
the same time interval, where the individual steps of the separate
activities or events do not necessarily occur at precisely the same
time.

**Configuration.** A collection of interfaced assets supporting a
particular spaceflight operation.

**Configure.** The act of arranging components to operate in a defined
state.

**Countdown.** See \"launch countdown\"

**Data.** Information that is used as a basis for mechanical or
electronic computation, or a collection of facts, numbers, letters,
symbols, etc., from which a conclusion can be drawn. Range data may be
raw or processed, and in analog, digital, hard copy, and/or electronic
formats. Types of data include but are not limited to; telemetry, space
object, timing, weather, metric, imaging, range asset health and status,
voice, hazard, vehicle uplink, and data products.

**Debris.** The parts of a launch vehicle, satellite, missile, or
reentry vehicle that are either jettisoned, broken off, or a result of
flight termination.

**Deconflicted.** Asset(s) or group of assets that have no higher
priority required, and/or are not scheduled to be in use.

**Display Data.** Visual presentation of information (e.g., graphical,
textual or discrete \"image\"). Display function determines not only the
information to be shown, but the methods of presentation. Various
purposes for displays are: 1) Continuous system control, 2) System
status monitoring, 3) Briefing, 4) Search and identification, and 5)
Decision making. Information can be presented on a surface, cathode ray
tube (CRT) window, or screen.

**Distribute Data.** To prepare data for transmission, including:
identification of the destination(s) for data, formatting data
appropriate for the destination(s), and presentation of data to the
transport media, either physical or electronic.

**Failure.** The loss of proper service that is suffered by the user
interface to the asset.

**Hold.** A temporary interruption of a launch countdown script.

**Image.** The representation of an object by optical, microwave,
chemical, or other processes**.**

**Instrumentation.** Devices or a system of devices used to collect
and/or process data.

**Interoperability.** A measure of the ability to seamlessly share data
and information with other sources, systems, agencies, etc.

**Launch Commit Criteria.** The implied decision tree which determines
the go/no-go decision for the launch. Range safety and the range user
will each have their own independent criteria.

**Launch Countdown.** The operation implementation of the scripted
procedure that ends in the \"commit to launch.\"

**Maintenance.** The technical process of keeping LTRS equipment in an
operational state, or repairing a malfunctioning unit once the equipment
is in use. The act of preserving LTRS (e.g., hardware, or software) from
failure or decline. Maintenance is one element of sustainment that can
begin before the system is deployed in the field.

**Operation.** Any procedure, function requiring the use of resources.

**Operationally Responsive Space (ORS).**

**Readiness.** A measure of the ability to immediately execute an
assigned activity or operation.

**Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV).**

**Reconfiguration Time.** The time from final range release of an asset
from one operation to asset ready to support a countdown or the next
scheduled range operation. Reconfiguration is a known, pre-planned
activity that includes asset deconfliction, configuration, calibration,
and verification. Reconfiguration time excludes asset relocation.

**Record.** This function stores data, short term, for subsequent
playback.

**Reliability.** Reliability is the probability that a system is
operable and can perform its required function for the spaceflight
operation's duration or a specified period of time. For the reliability
requirements, this is represented by the probability that, under stated
initial and operational conditions, the Range will be able to sustain
specific functional capabilities over a designated period of time (t,
defined below), without incurring a loss of those functional
capabilities.

**Retrieval.** This function allows selective recovery of data from the
storage media and provides it to the authorized requester.

**Schedule \[noun\].** Published interdependencies of assets allocated
to a particular activity or related sequence of activities, set for
exact location(s), date(s), and time(s) that do not conflict with the
use of assets allocated to other activities.

**Standardization.** The use of standard requirements to maintain
performance over a wide range of common applications. Standardization
applies to hardware, software, services, methods, and other processes.

**Support.** An activity which enables the fulfillment or accomplishment
of a separate activity**.**

**Telemetry (TLM).** The process by which a measurement of a quantity is
transmitted from a remote location to be recorded, displayed, or
processed.

**Test.** The verification through systematic exercising of an item
under appropriate conditions, with instrumentation and data collection
and processing (followed by analysis and evaluation of quantitative
data).

**User.** A Military organization, Government agency, civil, or
commercial organization that makes use of range services and/or
facilities.

**Verification \[by Demonstration\].** The qualitative determination of
properties or function of an end-item or component by observation.
Demonstration will be used with and without special test equipment,
simulators, recorded data and scenarios to verify requirement
characteristics such as operational performance, human engineering
features, service access features, transportability, display data and
integration integrity.)

# APPENDIX 2 -- ACRONYM LIST

**ADL** Aeronautical Data Link

**ADS-B** Automatic Dependent Surveillance -- Broadcast

**AFSPC** Air Force Space Command

**ASAT** Anti-Satellite

**ATC** Air Traffic Control

**BMDS** Ballistic Missile Defense System

**CATM** Collaborative Air Traffic Management

**CSM** Conventional Strike Missile

**CEV** Crew Exploration Vehicle

**ConOps** Concept of Operations

**COTS** Commercial Off the Shelf

**DoD** Department of Defense

**DO T&E** Director of Operational Test and Evaluation

**DRM** Design Reference Mission

**ELV** Expendable Launch Vehicle

**EELV** Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle

**FAA** Federal Aviation Administration

**FAA/AST** Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation

**FIRST** Future Interagency Range and Spaceport Technologies

**GIG** Global Information Grid

**GMT** Greenwich Mean Time

**GPS** Global Positioning System

**HCV** Hypersonic Cruise Vehicle

**INS** Inertial Navigations System

**IVHM** Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring (System)

**KSC** Kennedy Space Center

**LEO** Low Earth Orbit (altitude above 100 mi.)

**MCC** Mission Control Center

**NAS** National Airspace System

**NASA** National Aeronautics and Space Administration

**NextGen** Next Generation Air Transportation System

**ORS** Operationally Responsive Space

**PGS** Prompt Global Strike

**RLV** Reusable Launch Vehicle

**SATMS** Space and Air Traffic Management System

**SWIM** System-Wide Information Management

**STC** Space Transition Corridor

**TACSAT** Tactical Satellite

**TT&C** Telemetry, Tracking and Control

**T&E** Test and Evaluation

**UAV** Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

[^1]: