Integrating Standard Operating Procedures with Spacecraft Automation

Procedures are critical to the testing and operation of complex systems such as spacecraft. An electronic procedure system in which automation and human operators share responsibility for procedure execution can result in more efficient and safe operations. An electronic procedure system has to integrate with other automation capabilities and the command and data handling infrastructure. TRACLabs has been developing such a system under NASA SBIR funding as well as external investment. The Phase II work focused on integrating PRIDE with the ITOS/STOL spacecraft control infrastructure and performing experiments with a robot simulation. The Phase II project also started on the design and implementation of procedure overview interface to PRIDE that includes information about future, scheduled activities and adapts the interface to the various mission roles of operators interacting with the procedure. The Phase II project has been successful and this proposed effort will build upon and mature the new operator interface and apply it to a new NASA mission. Our external investor is also interested in the new operator interface and how it will be applied to their operations. The overall goal of this proposal is a more flexible and mature operator interface that can be customized for a variety of missions and customers. The existing PRIDE system is also inflexible in that procedures, once started, continue either to completion or failure. We plan to extend PRIDE to allow for procedure interrupts that are continually monitored and, when appropriate, can direct the operator or automation to deviate from the normal procedure execution and perform additional actions.

The PRIDE electronic procedure platform is being considered for use by the NASA ARC's BioSentinel ground operations. PRIDE is also used by NASA JSC for some International Space Station (ISS) operations and at NASA AFRC for ground testing of the X-57 SCEPTOR experimental aircraft. PRIDE is also applicable to NASA robotics operations including lunar and planetary surface robots and ISS and Gateway robots. PRIDE is being tested in NASA JSC’s Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA).

The PRIDE electronic procedure platform has applications in a wide variety of industries. Oil and gas customers are using PRIDE for assembly of their equipment and for oil field drilling automation. Chemical manufacturers are currently using PRIDE for complex operations involving loading and transport of chemicals. Commercial space customers are using PRIDE for their ground and flight operations.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.