Using Autonomous Outposts as Data Relays to Support Distributed Spacecraft

Distributed small space vehicles, cooperating in a dynamic environment, are critical for the success of planetary exploration within the next decade. However, the effectiveness of these distributed vehicle swarms will be limited by two factors – the size of the individual vehicles (which will determine onboard data relay capabilities) and their distance from the command and communications centers on Earth. The existence of flexible, low-cost Outposts – Nanoracks’ long-duration platforms created from repurposed upper stages – in the cislunar and translunar environments can increase the resiliency and effectiveness of exploratory mission designs by providing a localized area network capacity for communication, pointing, navigation, and timing (PNT), and data relay back to Earth. In this proposed Phase II study, Nanoracks expects to test an integrated hardware and software system to enable advanced data relay capabilities. Nanoracks plans to apply for a following Phase II-E extension after 12 months of the Phase II project, leading to an eventual flight demonstration of the data relay. Nanoracks will leverage the technology reviews and feasibility studies resulting from Phase I activities to achieve the following deliverables: Subsystem Requirements Refinement, Technology Selections, Technological Partnerships Plan, Prototype Development Plan, Service Provision and Management Services, Autonomous Software Development, Hardware Prototype Development, Hardware-in-the-loop Testing, and Nanoracks’ Commercialization Strategy.

This Phase II study is designed to develop and test specific Outpost capabilities which can support localized data services for distributed space vehicles to support NASA’s exploration goals. An Outpost with data relay and computational offloading capabilities can support both orbital and surface exploration missions from a variety of orbits. Outposts also provide autonomous OSAM capabilities to vehicles, including refueling, repair, component storage, cargo exchange, and localized PNT/command/data/communication relays

Nanoracks’ MEK is designed to turn Outposts into key platforms for the future orbital ecosystem. In addition to data relay and distributed network nodes, Outposts can provide payload hosting services, refueling, repair, and other robotically enabled services, and host OSAM activities. Nanoracks hopes to perform integration/test of such systems within this study.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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