NASA and Veridian Demonstrate Internet-based Space Command and Control System Architecture

SPACEMART

illustration of a GPS bird - one of many satellite that could benefit from new Internet-based command and control systems now under development

Arlington - Nov. 2, 2000
NASA has successfully demonstrated a TCP/IP based architecture which could be used to enable trusted distributed command and control of on-orbit assets for future space missions.

Led by NASA's Glenn Research Center (GRC), the design and development of NASA's "TCP/IP in Space" initiative is supported by Veridian's "Nautilus Horizon" project and GRC's "Tempest" software.

The demonstration of NASA's TCP/IP in Space initiative was held at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, November 1-3, during NASA's Inspection 2000. NASA conducts their annual inspection events to showcase the latest NASA-developed technologies.

The demonstration included remote operators at various locations sending commands through the Internet using NASA's Tempest software. The commands were then processed through Veridian's Secure Mission Operations Control Center (SMOCC) set up at Johnson Spaceflight Center (JSC) and then sent to a simulated spacecraft at JSC via a NASA TDRS satellite. The demonstration also employed a Veridian "hacker" trying to crack the security of the network.

In the near future, standard Internet protocols will be used for controlling and commanding experiments and operations aboard NASA spacecraft from networked, remote ground locations using highly secure Internet connections.

According to Phillip Paulsen of GRC's Space Communications Office and demonstration lead for this initiative, "TCP/IP in Space, supported by Nautilus Horizon, will permit us to control operations on-orbit, in near real time within a secure system environment. The substantive benefits here will be a truly dramatic increase in mission efficiency, an expansion of how much and what we can do on-orbit and cost savings on future missions using TCP/IP-compliant spacecraft and payloads."

GRC's Tempest software allows command and control of on-orbit assets via a web browser. Tempest allows an experimenter to access experiments and data from a networked desktop in their office. The experimenter no longer needs to reside in a Mission Control facility, or wait for data to be stripped out, formatted and made available for their use, a process that can take several weeks.

Currently the process of integrating commands is very labor intensive and centralized. Nautilus Horizon offers automated mission integration ensuring that these distributed commands are sent by authorized individuals, that experimenters are not in conflict with one another, and that the specific commands will not adversely impact critical station keeping and health and welfare of the flight hardware.

"Mission integration is integral to the Nautilus Horizon's basic functionality, and to its value," said Jim Light, Veridian Senior Vice President of Network and Space Systems.

In addition to the ability to control on-orbit operations from multiple ground command stations, TCP/IP in Space and Nautilus Horizon provide the capability for NASA to test operation of space vehicles, equipment, satellites and components in a virtual environment, prior to final assembly and launch of the satellite/space vehicle.

The capability to test components early in the production cycle of a spacecraft will allow substantial time and money savings on a program by identifying integration problems much earlier than currently possible.

A critical component to the security of TCP/IP in Space and Nautilus Horizon is the Veridian-developed SMOCC. The SMOCC creates a controlled and trusted environment for space mission commands by integrating a host of internetworking technologies, internetworking security technologies, information protection tools and techniques together with space mission integration and assurance systems and processes. "The security and integrity of TCP/IP in Space is vital. We must ensure that our operations on-orbit are protected," noted GRC's Phillip Paulsen.

During Inspection 2000 the connectivity of Nautilus Horizon and the strength of the SMOCC security features were tested by adding and removing successive layers of security protection. "The integrity of SMOCC ensures protection against hackers and human error," said Tom Sweet, Veridian Nautilus Horizon project officer and lead engineer.

"SMOCC is the heart and soul of TCP/IP in Space security, mission assurance and mission integration. We have designed multiple internetworking protections and integrated them with space mission command and control functions to produce an architecture that will enable NASA to not only control on-orbit activities from the ground, but also allow for virtual testing of planned on-orbit activities prior to actual execution in space."

Veridian is a privately owned knowledge applications company with annual revenues of $650 million with nearly 5,000 employees

SPACEMART

Skycorp Hopes NASA Will Throw Its Server Out The Hatch

Los Angeles - Oct. 20th, 2000
Skycorp Inc., a privately held company, today announced the signing of a Space Act Agreement with NASA to place the world's first Internet server in Space. Skycorp and NASA are working together to determine a Shuttle flight date for a developmental test of this unique spacecraft technology.

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