A key non-NASA application would be to provide primary or secondary navigation and timing services for DoD missions. The software modules developed for navigation and timing solutions for NASA can be easily transitioned to DoD space systems. The overall navigation and timing architecture concept developed for NASA systems can be adapted to DoD space systems in a straightforward manner. Additionally, commercial systems which may derive benefits from application of non-traditional spacecraft navigation techniques such as XNAV and LNAV, as primary or backup capabilities, may become future customers of the software capabilities developed in the proposed program as well as potential users of the NASA infrastructure. In each case there are a variety of modalities for Microcosm to support from consulting in support of missions/programs to software implementation and integration support.
The proposed navigation and timing architecture simulation capability will provide a tool to support performance evaluation of SCaN architecture concepts in addition to enabling mission planning for human exploration, robotic and infrastructure missions integrating into a future SCaN architecture. Incorporating these new capabilities, including X-ray pulsar-based navigation/timing, lasercom-based navigation, and time distribution into ODTBX, and creating interfaces with other existing analysis and performance assessment tools, will provide enhanced navigation and timing solutions for next-generation space missions from low Earth orbit to the outer solar system. Microcosm envisions several approaches to commercialization to NASA customers and programs: Basic capabilities delivered via updates to open-source ODTBX Contracts to support SCaN architecture evaluation/analysis Contracts to support relevant mission engineering activities Contracts to support integration of tool capabilities with NASA/contractor legacy tools Contracts to support navigation analysis and associated flight software development for NASA programs
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