Moon & Mars Orbiting Spinning Tether Transport - Tethers Unlimited

Appendix L: Tether Boost Facility Design Final ReportCost of this two-phase program is estimated to be as little as $3M to $4M. Furtherdetails and cost estimate refinements are required. Furthermore, test facilityrequirements need to be established in order to properly estimate range facilitization,test fixture, and special equipment costs. Other considerations are the following:- Demonstration complexity, i.e., scope of work- Validity of demonstration – relative grapple and payload motion in the labcompared to real life scenario- Use of government furnished equipment and facilitiesOn-Going Related Efforts. Regarding the use of government facilities, Boeing andNASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) currently have a Space Act Agreement inplace to conduct ground testing of key hardware and software technologies forautonomous vehicle operations during on-orbit proximity operations. Testing is beingconducted in the MSFC Flight Robotics Laboratory in Huntsville Alabama. Under thisagreement, efforts were initiated during 2000 and will continue through 2001.Boeing’s responsibilities include the following:a. Develop and supply test bed software for autonomous vehicle operations, includingproximity operations.b. Develop and supply test bed hardware for autonomous vehicle operations, includingproximity operations. Boeing-supplied hardware will include all cabling needed tointerface with MSFC Flight Robotics Lab systems.c. Design fabricate and install on the Dynamic Overhead Target Simulator (DOTS) atarget model simulator to be used in proximity operations testing in the MSFC FlightRobotics Laboratory.d. Supply personnel to integrate the test system, perform testing, and perform post-testde-integration.e. Create detailed test plans based on design reference missions, and review test planswith Flight Robotics Laboratory personnel.MSFC’s responsibilities include the following:a. Review Boeing test plans and hardware/software interfaces with the FlightRobotics Laboratory.b. Support test hardware/software integration and de-integration in the Flight RoboticsLaboratory. Provide test stand for supporting AVO sensor package optical bench. Assistwith alignment and setup of optical bench and target simulator.F-26