D-SHIELD: Distributed Spacecraft with Heuristic Intelligence to Enable Logistical Decisions
Channel: COSPAR2021 Workshops
Date: 2021-02-02

Authors: Sreeja Nag, Mahta Moghaddam, Daniel Selva, Vinay Ravindra, Richard Levinson, Amir Azemati, Alan S. Li, Ruzbeh Akbar

Abstract: Abstract: D-SHIELD is a scalable framework, that includes innovative methods and software tools, to help schedule payload operations of a large constellation, with multiple payloads per and across spacecraft, such that the collection of observational data and their downlink, constrained by the constellation constraints (orbital mechanics), resources (power, data) and subsystems (instruments, attitude control), results in maximum science value for a selected use case. Constellation topology, spacecraft and ground network characteristics can be imported from design tools or existing constellations and serve as inputs to operations design. The scheduler can run autonomously onboard the spacecraft, or at the ground station with resultant schedules uplinked to the spacecraft for execution. The onboard version is supported by inter-sat links and Disruption Tolerant Networking for onboard data management and routing among the satellites. D-SHIELD is being applied to different types of uses cases that will benefit from agility (maximizing land coverage, focus on coral reefs, airplane tracking, angular spread for cloudbows, vicarious calibration) and responsiveness (urban floods, tropical cyclones, soil moisture monitoring). D-SHIELD includes a science simulator to inform the scheduler of the predictive value of observations or operational decisions, which is custom built as a function of the use case. Since autonomous, real-time re-scheduling should be sensitive to recently collected observations, the science simulator also includes novel data assimilation methods and predictive algorithms. D-SHIELD modules will be available open-source starting in 2021.