The desire to accomplish its mission in space without breaking the bank has led NASA to embrace Hosted Payloads. Hosted Payloads effectively involve the placement of government payloads on commercial spacecraft. This enables government agencies – such as NASA – to “hitch a ride” to space instead of paying to build and launch their own satellites.

One of NASA’s upcoming Hosted Payload programs is TEMPO. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dave Beals, the TEMPO Program Manager at NASA, to discuss the program, what data it will deliver to NASA, how it will help the government and why NASA chose to launch TEMPO as a Hosted Payload.

Here is what Mr. Beals had to say:

GovSat Report: What is NASA’s TEMPO Project? What information and data will it gather for NASA? What will NASA use this data for?

David Beals: TEMPO stands for “Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution.” It’s a scanning ultraviolet/visible spectrometer designed to measure chemical species critical to air quality over Greater North America, specifically Ozone (O3), Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and Formaldehyde (H2CO).

The resolution of TEMPO will allow tracking of pollutants at sub-urban scales, once an hour, across the United States – including parts of Canada and Mexico. The TEMPO data will improve air quality forecasts and assimilation systems; improve assessments, e.g., observations to support United Nations Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution; and could result in near real-time maps of pollution types, concentrations, and predictions.

NASA, the Smithsonian Institute, and scientists across the globe will learn about the sources, concentrations, and how pollution travels – this will aid in understanding the fundamental mechanisms and effects of pollutions as well as allowing early warning for people who are sensitive to the effects of pollution.

GovSat Report: TEMPO is expected to be a Hosted Payload. Why is NASA going this route with TEMPO, GOLD and other payloads?

David Beals: The Hosted Payload concept is a win-win for government and industry. The commercial capability and experience is so very impressive – these are beautifully made high reliability satellites with deep operational experience, and they are going to GEO – just where TEMPO needs to be.

NASA gets to take advantage of industry’s expertise and saves considerable cost over a dedicated or shared government owned satellite. Industry gets another customer and that helps their business case. I think it makes sense for NASA and industry – we’ll get outstanding service and support at a reasonable price; it really is a great example of industry doing what they do best and NASA concentrating on building an advanced instrument and getting the science.

David Beals: A commercially Hosted Payload of a NASA instrument is new in some respects, yet familiar in others. We are working hard to find the balance of meeting NASA requirements for instrument development and mission oversight while simultaneously fitting in with commercial timelines and business practices.

The commercial timeline is very quick – as little as three years from decision to launch. NASA plans to award a Task Order under the Air Force’s HoPS contract (the Air Force is supporting NASA pursuant to an Acquisition Assistance agreement).  NASA requires competitive, affordable proposals meeting our technical requirements.

Government procurement rules prohibit NASA and the USAF from sole-sourcing and hand-picking a commercial Hosted Payload service. In the past, NASA was accustomed to being completely in charge – developing and picking launch and bus services from the very start rather than “hitching a ride” as a Hosted Payload on a bus and launch vehicle developed for commercial purposes, generally.

Today, concerning TEMPO in a Hosted Payload scenario, I can’t say exactly when the launch will occur – or even on which spacecraft bus. What we have been able to do with industry has greatly mitigated these risks and concerns – working with the SMC HoPs vendor pool we have been able to verify that multiple providers can meet the technical requirements and programmatic constraints.

We are doing something new; TEMPO is the first use of the HoPs contract and we are working diligently with SMC and industry to make it a success.

GovSat Report: What do you think needs to happen to assuage concerns about Hosted Payloads? What can industry do to help overcome them? What role will Congress have to play?

David Beals: Knowledge, communication, and familiarity are the keys to addressing concerns.

We have been working closely with the HoPs GEO vendor pool to address technical and programmatic concerns for the past year, and this is one of the real success stories so far.

As an example, the TEMPO instrument was originally designed with its own dedicated radiator. As we worked with industry on the interface requirements a suggestion was made to do a trade study to see if the spacecraft’s radiators could handle the thermal loads. It’s turns out that all of the industry-identified potential spacecraft could handle the thermal loads, and the studies demonstrated it would be easier and preferable to use on-board thermal control rather than having a dedicated instrument radiator. This change was made to the instrument design. It made it better for both the instrument and the spacecraft.

Similarly, we have issued draft RFPs to industry and have received – and incorporated – that feedback. This helps NASA integrate with the commercial flow while still meeting our requirements. These are examples of how government and industry can work together so each has success.

Congress is supportive of the Hosted Payload concept and public/private partnerships. This continued support for innovative and creative solutions that save the government funds and meet our requirements is key for future success.

GovSat Report: Do you foresee Hosted Payload programs gaining additional traction in the coming years? If so, what will fuel any projected growth in adoption?

David Beals: I am very optimistic about the future of Hosted Payloads. I believe TEMPO will be great success, returning important science and demonstrating that Hosted Payloads are a cost-effective solution.

I can see Hosted Payloads as a cost-effective method for advancing the Technical Readiness Levels (TRL) of any number of mechanisms and technologies that need time in the space environment in order to show their operational readiness. As NASA and industry gain experience, what once was new and novel will become obvious as a way to use the strengths of both industry and NASA to their fullest advantage.

For additional information on hosted payloads, their benefits to the federal government and how they can provide economical access to space for government agencies and branches of the military, download the SES hosted payload white paper by clicking HERE. For information on GOLD – another NASA hosted payload program – click HERE.

The post Why NASA is Upping its TEMPO as a Hosted Payload – a Q&A with NASA’s David Beals appeared first on SES Space and Defense.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the annual Hosted Payload and Smallsat Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. This annual event is organized by the same group that sponsors the annual SATELLITE Conference, and brings together commercial thought leaders, government decision makers and satellite equipment manufacturers to specifically discuss the technologies and solutions making it cheaper, faster and easier to get into space – hosted payloads and small satellites.

With a large contingent of industry representatives, speakers at the Summit often felt like they were simply preaching to the choir. There was little need to discuss the many benefits of hosted payloads to a group that already understands the potential for cost savings, increased efficiency and greater expediency that comes from, “hitching a ride to space.” However, there were some very interesting discussions about what, exactly, constitutes a successful hosted payload, and why the military has been so slow to embrace them. There were also some incredible examples of the different hosted payload programs being implemented across the government today.

Although it was interesting to hear what the industry thought constituted a successful hosted payload, it was good to hear the opinion of federal government decision makers as to what they believe makes a hosted payload program successful or not. One opinion was provided by Michael Schlacter, the Deputy Director of the Space Systems Program Office at the Missile Defense Agency, and the leader of the Space Based Kill Assessment (SKA) hosted payload program. Schlacter appeared on a panel entitled, “Defining a Successful Hosted Payload.” According to him, that definition involves two things – the hosted payload’s schedule performance and how it meets owner/operator, “do no harm” requirements.

Unfortunately, the MDA was pretty lonely when it came to military organizations speaking about their effective hosted payload programs. Not because programs haven’t been effective, but mostly due to the fact that these programs are few and far between. An overarching theme at this year’s Summit was the dearth of military hosted payload programs and ways in which to remedy it. In fact, an entire panel, entitled, “How to get more military end-users on military hosted payloads,” wrapped up this year’s program.

There were multiple valid reasons and opinions as to why the military continues to eschew hosted payloads. Unfortunately, many of these seemed to be based on fear, a lack of education and a general difference in how the military and private industry operates.

During the course of the Summit, I repeatedly heard that many of the military’s concerns about hosted payloads are based on a loss of control and ownership. And – although it’s cheaper, faster and more efficient to utilize hosted payloads on commercial satellites –unfounded concerns about information assurance, security and reliability keep the military from moving in this more cost-effective direction.

Leaders from both industry and government would dispel many of these concerns during the Summit’s panel discussions.

Regarding reliability of commercial satellites, Dave Beals, the TEMPO Project Manager at NASA, was quoted as saying, “…[the commercial satellite industry is] building birds to make money. And they’re going to be highly reliable. This is going to work. [COMSATCOM providers are] not going to put anything on [their] spacecraft that is going to fall off and interfere…”

To dispel concerns about information assurance and security, Tim Deaver, the Corporate VP of Development at SES Space and Defense, claimed, “…cybersecurity and information security is a concern across the entire industry, and the capabilities are out there to enable us to protect things without a herculean effort. The information assurance perspectives can be addressed if you know what the requirements are up-front, and if you build and do that risk management as you go through that process.”

But there was another reason why some industry executives believed that the military has shied away from hosted payloads.

The feeling among the participants at an early-morning panel was that military decision makers and program managers simply aren’t incentivized to use hosted payloads. These panelists felt that – in their situation – it’s simply easier for senior military decision makers to launch more satellites than it is to spend the time researching alternatives, identifying any potential alternatives and going against decades of the, “we have to own it and control it,” mentality that exists in the military.

The general consensus among attendees and speakers at the Summit was that this mentally could only be overcome with a combination of education and working together to get government leaders to hold program managers and military decision makers accountable for choosing hosted payloads and other more cost-effective SATCOM alternatives.

As Mr. Beals of NASA said, “It is a process of education…Like any change, [decision makers] need to be told that it’s different, but that it will be okay. That has an element of “trust us” in there, which is generally unpopular because management wants you to prove that it’s going to work. We can’t prove that, but we can provide evidence and data from previous successful programs.”

This sentiment was echoed by Mr. Deaver, when he said, “There is a lot of need for education between the industry and government to get them comfortable with the concept of hosted payloads and get them over the fears that may be there of not being in total control of the processes.”

In addition to education, panelists and attendees discussed working together to engage senior decision makers in the military and Congress to drive home the need for hosted payloads. This is something that, according to Pete Hoene, the CEO of SES Space and Defense, is already being done. According to Mr. Hoene, “Congress is going to be a big part of this. We’re getting Congress engaged and they’re starting to hold the individual agencies and program managers accountable.”

Whether it’s an ingrained mentality that the military own and control all of its own satellites, or concerns about security, information assurance and reliability, the military continues to find reasons to spend more on building and launching their own satellites, instead of using hosted payloads. Until decision makers and program managers are educated about and held accountable for choosing hosted payloads and other lower cost methods for getting to space, the military will continue to overpay and wait longer for access to satellite capabilities. By dispelling unfounded concerns and criticisms of hosted payloads and by working as an industry to engage Congress and senior decision makers, the military can become more innovative in their approach to SATCOM, get faster and easier access to space and ultimately save taxpayer dollars at a time when government budgets are tight and additional cuts loom large on the horizon.

For additional information on hosted payloads, their benefits to the federal government and how they can provide economical access to space for government agencies and branches of the military, download the SES Space and Defense hosted payload white paper or the Hosted Payloads Infographic by clicking HERE.

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