NASA Research: Sensor Network Devices Examined
NASA's Mark III Experimenter Interface Panel Enhances Airborne Science Missions
NASA's Airborne Science fleet has received a significant upgrade with the introduction of the Mark III Experimenter Interface Panel (EIP). This innovative system, designed to streamline data acquisition and communication across various scientific aircraft platforms, is set to revolutionise the way scientists gather and analyse environmental data.
The Mark III EIP acts as a central control panel, integrating multiple scientific instruments and sensors aboard different aircraft. This integration allows for simultaneous data acquisition, a feat unparalleled in NASA's Airborne Science history. The panel supports up to four scientific instruments at a time, enabling more comprehensive data collection and a better understanding of our environment as a whole.
One of the key benefits of the Mark III EIP is its real-time monitoring and control capabilities. This feature improves the efficiency and reliability of data collection, ensuring that scientists have access to accurate and timely information. The panel also enhances data communication by providing a common interface that works across multiple aircraft types, reducing complexity and increasing interoperability.
The Mark III EIP also facilitates rapid setup, configuration, and troubleshooting of instruments. This feature saves time and minimizes potential errors during missions, ensuring that scientists can focus on their research rather than dealing with technical issues.
By standardizing the interface between experimenters and onboard systems, the Mark III EIP improves the operational consistency and flexibility of NASA’s Airborne Science fleet. This standardization allows for more complex and diverse scientific data gathering with greater ease and accuracy.
The Mark III EIP is a fleet-wide design that accommodates existing instruments with legacy interfaces and new payloads with Ethernet data interfaces. The primary data interface for new payloads in the Mark III EIP is an aircraft's payload Ethernet network. Each Mark III EIP incorporates an Ethernet switch with four 1000BASE-T and eight 10/100BASE-T ports available to instruments. Each instrument reports its status through an EIP via the network to the NASA Airborne Science Data Acquisition and Transmission Unit (NASDAT).
The NASDAT provides limited communication with ground stations over Indium satellite telephone modems. The development of a new "Sensor Net" payload system began in 2008, with the addition of the Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to the Airborne Science fleet. The first flights for the Airborne Payload C3 System (APCS) were on the GLOPAC mission aboard the Global Hawk in 2010, with the payload including 11 networked instruments on the Global Hawk.
Sierra Circuits fabricated several boards in the Mark III EIP. The Mark III EIP has five connectors to power instruments, four of which each include three-phase AC and 28-V DC circuits, and one that supports legacy instruments with up to 40A of 28-VDC on each of two circuits.
In conclusion, the Mark III EIP is a significant step forward in NASA's Airborne Science missions. By providing a standardized, flexible, and efficient interface for data acquisition and communication, it enables scientists to gather more comprehensive and accurate data with greater ease and efficiency. For those interested in the detailed technical specifications or NASA documentation for the Mark III EIP, these might be found in NASA’s technical reports or airborne science program releases.
The Mark III Experimenter Interface Panel, a technological advancement, extends its applications beyond airborne science missions, finding utility in the realm of space and astronomy, where real-time monitoring and data acquisition are crucial. The panel, with its integration of financial aspects, such as minimizing potential errors during missions, and efficient data communication, can also contribute to the cost-effective management of environmental-science projects.
