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>> George Norris: Good morning.
My name is George Norris.
I head up the Payload Mission Management area
in the ISS Payloads office.
And Rod gave you a good introduction of how you get
into the process for us to start integrating you.
And my job is, once that Rod and working
with Julie has decided what the right things to do are,
we figure out how to go make it happen.
And so this is the Mission Integration Overview.
So next chart.
I'm going to talk a little bit about the process in general
of Mission Integration.
We assign someone to help shepherd folks
through the process called our Payload Integration Manager.
They work with the individual payload developers
and principle investigators to develop a schedule,
define the milestones for them so they know what products
that they have to deliver.
They know what products that the program's going
to deliver for them.
And make sure we lay out all the time, they all go into timelines
so everybody understands the entire process.
And they'll help you through it every step of the way.
So we'll talk a little bit
about the process itself at a high level.
The different timeframes that we have.
The strategic, the tactical and the operations.
What documentation we'll be looking for along the way.
And how you get manifested,
which Rod gave you the introduction to that.
Then the Payload Tactical Plan which is kind of our bible
that houses all the integration data that we need
to support our operations.
As well as let the rest of the program know what we're doing
so that we can integrate with the other pieces
of the program as well.
And then how we make changes because as we know,
any time something's baselined the next thing you do is make a
change to it.
As your hardware matures and your programs mature,
we are capable of making those changes
as we go through the process.
So next chart.
So, and this is to give you a basic understanding of it,
so we're not going to go into the details
of all the integration processes or we'd be here all day.
But I'll give you a brief overview of that
and what support that we can provide to the payload.
Next chart.
The Payload Integration Manager, I put him on the first chart
because that's usually your first interface
to the integration teams.
Once that, we'll go through the integration process a little bit
more and how it works.
But once you've made it on a research plan
and it's been baselined, that kicks off the rest
of us to go do work now.
So we have to make sure that we understand what you need
and how you'll fit with the rest
of the payload activities that we're doing.
And how we can integrate you on orbit.
So the PIM works with you every step of the way.
And working with the other pieces of the program,
payload safety, our engineering folks, our operations folks,
software folks if you need software.
Ground processing.
All of those things to make sure that you have somebody
that understands all those things and help you figure
out what the right thing to do is.
So they're the first person that you interface
with on the integration team.
Next slide.
This is an overview of the integration process.
It kind of goes through the individual timeframes.
The strategic, which is in our mind around, outside it.
I'm minus 18, I'm on a 16 timeframe.
Anything ahead of that isn't strategic,
so we don't have you assigned to a specific flight.
We don't have all the detail requirements.
We just know that you exist and know what you want to do.
We haven't fit you in with a plan yet to make sure
that we can go execute.
And then the tactical timeframe is where we take
over in the integration process.
Rod just described the beginnings of that
on how you get into a research plan and then we take that.
And once we have the data for what you want to do,
we go and take that data and put it into all the products
across the program to make sure
that all the pieces come together when they need to.
And the next phase is the operations phase
when you actually execute your activities on orbit.
And then post-flight, we return whatever data
and hardware samples that we need to bring back after that,
we shepherd you through that entire process.
Next slide.
The strategic timeframe, I won't go into too much detail on this.
Basically here's a flowchart that kind of works you
through with all the things
that we would be looking for from you.
An export classification letter up front in case we have
to send your hardware to another country to launch.
Or have operations in a partner module or any of those things.
We need to know what your export classification is.
And then down the right-hand side
of this chart lists the agreements that we have
with the program that we do.
A Payload Integration Agreement with the payload developer,
which basically tells you what our integration process
and what we're expecting as an integrator of your hardware.
And what we expect you to do,
and also what you expect, can expect from us.
And any deviations from what we normally do we document
in this agreement.
And then develop a delivery schedule.
We go through safety reviews, the upfront safety review,
Phase 0-1 and Phase 2.
And then at the end when you get to the far right over here,
at the end of the strategic timeframe you get assigned
to a research plan and we go integrate you.
So next chart.
So this is the tactical timeframe.
Once we have baselined you into a plan, we'll go and start,
as I said, trying to get your data permeated throughout the
rest of the program so that we can get all the pieces
to support you as we need to.
So we'll need your manifest data, so which data,
any special packing requirements,
on or which stowage requirements which will entail drawings.
Any training units to do crew training with.
Operations data, planning data, any procedure development
that we need to do, all those happen upfront.
Then we go through the remainder of your safety reviews, Phase 3,
which may be vehicle-specific once we determine what you're
going to launch on.
Any crew changes you have to do if.
Depending on your requirements we'll have individual datasets,
whether that's software for a commanded data handling.
A manifesto, procedures, all those things will get baselined.
And any testing at KSC that's required,
depending on your complexity of the payload.
And then individual launch vehicle
integration requirements.
We work with the launch vehicle provider to make sure that we,
they know what to expect when you show up.
And you know what to expect
from them whenever you show up as well.
The next chart.
[ Silence ]
So after the tactical, after we've integrated you
and gotten all our data and everybody's ready
and the vehicle's launched.
And your hardware is on orbit, the crew that's going
to operate you is on orbit, then we go into the operations phase.
So first, before we launch you we have to certify
that we've done all the things that we need to do make sure
that your payload's safe, that the vehicle's safe,
and the crew's safe with all those things.
So we do our certification of flight readiness before launch.
There's launch, then you're on over to operations phase.
And then landing and then post-landing.
We also help with post-landing payload processing,
returning your hardware to you as well
as any samples that are necessary.
And including baseline data collection post-flight,
if that's required.
The next slide.
The joint agreement that we have,
as I mentioned earlier we have a unique Payload Integration
Agreement that we sign, Rod Jones signs
for the ISS payloads office.
And then we get the payload developer to sign to show
that both piece, both pieces understand how we're going
to go integrate you.
And what we are going to provide for you and how we're going
to help you through the process.
And then our PIM, our Payload Integration Manager,
develops a specific schedule for you,
depending on when your hardware is going to launch, what your,
what vehicle it is it's going to launch
on which has unique requirements.
And your operations requirements.
All of those things that our Payload Integration Manager will
add a schedule working with you
to make sure you understand the entire flow.
And then once we get to working with our engineering folks,
we do payload-unique ICDs, or verification requirements,
to make sure that we understand the details of your interfaces
with the vehicle and with the rest of our payload hardware.
And then our payload safety data package is a requirement.
Working with our payload safety review panel
to make sure they understand the details of your experiment.
And that it is safe on orbit
and in the launch and return vehicles.
And then the payload tactical plan is where we're looking
for the majority of your integration data.
We'll be looking for the details on the manifest,
what items you want to fly.
How big they are, what they weigh.
Your crew time requirements and any operations
that are required in a partner vehicle.
All those things we'll be looking to baseline
in this payload tactical plan.
And then beyond that there's unique payload datasets,
depending on your requirements, that are the individual details
for each of these things, whether it be procedures,
planning data, KSC technical requirements.
All of those things we have specific, unique datasets for.
Next chart.
This is kind of a high-level overview
of what would be included
in the Payload Integration Manager schedule
that they'll work with you.
And the strategic timeframe we do assign some Payload
Integration Managers in a strategic timeframe
if the payload is required.
Usually that are just external payloads
that need a longer lead time for working through the process.
But in a tactical timeframe, these are some of the milestones
that you'll see on the chart.
And it lists all the dataset requirements, the agreements
that we have to do, as well as the safety milestones.
And individual vehicle integration requirements.
Next chart.
So this kind of picks up where Rod left off.
The top block there, the Research Planning Working Group,
as you turn through that process.
We are working with Rod during that process
to develop our increment-specific research plan
which is of interest to us because we have
to develop the payload tactical plan, as I mentioned earlier.
So as Rod's going through developing the research plan,
we're providing some feasibility assessments, as he said,
on an individual payload basis.
All our, each of our integration teams look
at the data that's provided for the payloads and determines
if we think we're going to have any integration issues along the
way, or any risk as we go through.
And then we do roll-ups for baseline data collection,
which is looked at across the complement.
As well as our cold stowage activities that are looked
at across the complement.
So all those things go back in to Rod,
and we maybe do another iteration of the research plan
as we roll in our recommendations forward.
So once we've all come to agreement
on the research plan then we develop,
we being mission integration,
develop the payload tactical plan that's taken forward
to the payload's control board,
or the multilateral payload's control board.
Because we also capture our international partners data
to the baseline, and that's the data that we work from there on.
Next chart.
Just an individual chart on the payload tactical plan.
It is an annex to our increment definition requirements document
that the program develops.
And again, we have to fit into the overall objectives
and the activities that are going
on across the space station, across the entire program.
The other activities are EVA activities or vehicle traffic.
The other objectives that the program has,
we have to make sure that we fit in with those
and there's no conflicts there.
So this document provides our integrated ascent/descent
and all our orbit resource requirements.
It also catches the resource objectives in this plan.
Our priorities of what we have developed as the things
that we want to do in each stage and each flight
as the most important to accomplish.
And then our on over payload topologies for that given set
of increments on the stage-by-stage basis.
So it's a top-level document
that defines resources requirements basically,
is what the payload tactical plan is.
But we also use it to communicate up and out
to the rest of the program that is outside
of our payload community.
Next chart.
So once we've baselined it, the first we do is go change it.
What, you know, what good would we be if we had stale data
and couldn't react to changes?
So once the tactical plan is baselined,
we have a change evaluation form.
It's what we use our internal configuration management
of the document.
We also use it to change our flight manifest
that we take forward to the rest of the program.
And so we have a change evaluation form
that our PIM will help you through that process
as we go forward, how to fill those out.
And what data we need to provide, and what we need
to adequately assess what your change is.
And how that affects us,
depending on where we are in integration flow.
So as we do those, we update our payload tactical plan.
We have a working version that we update.
For every CEF that's approved gets rolled
into there immediately, and you can find it on our website.
And then maybe twice an increment,
we'll roll our revision to the payload tactical plan
out for the rest of the program to see and formally document.
But we maintain our working version that allows us
to be more flexible in what we're working to.
And I mentioned the IDRD Annex I, the Flight Manifest.
We also use our change of ioation [assume spelling] form
to change the details that we have and the flight manifest.
If the quantity changes, if the part number changes
for some reason, all those things we track in the Annex I,
we can use a CPF to make those updates.
And that rolls in to the overall flight manifest
that the rest of the program works.
Next chart.
So in summary, we're here to, once you've been defined
as an objective that we need to meet
from the research planning/working group,
working with Julie as a program scientist,
to work the priorities.
Once all that's determined, we are trying to shepherd you
through the process to make sure that you're successful,
and still maintain a safe vehicle and safe crew.
So I think that's all that I had.
If there's any questions?
[ Silence ]
[ Applause ]
[ Silence ]
>> Attendee: Forgive me.
I'm just a little bit confused about your timing.
From payload integration
to flight it's a minus 36 months, so it's three years.
And most of the sponsoring agencies, NASA included,
their funding cycle is about three years.
So there's about a year or two years difference between award
and flight, and then the completion
of data results and stuff.
So is there movement afoot to sort of get those cycles
in sequence or closer, so that you can actually fly,
get your data back and write it up as a PI and still fit
within the mission integration schedule?
>> George Norris: I think part of the problem is,
were the calls for the payloads and the cycle
that headquarters is on and the other folks were on,
to put the AO's out and get new payloads is not dependent
on space stations specifically and what cycle we're on.
So when they do the funding for you, and you're turned
on to go do these things.
At that point whenever you're ready to work with us
in a strategic timeframe, we can help you determine
when you would be ready and about
where in our process you would fit.
So it may just mean we push you one increment down,
because our space station is 365 days a year
and they're continuing.
So they're operating independent of what payloads are
in the pipeline or not.
So we have to make sure that once you're turned on
and are working and have a development schedule,
that we can try and pick the right point
in the process where you would fit.
So it's kind of independent of our integration schedule,
which is going to happen on a regular basis.
We're just turning every time.
And so, depending on where you are, we'll make sure
that we pick the right point
so that we can make sure you're successful
and go all the way through.
We don't want to push you too early to try
and scrunch the development or any of those things,
because that's not fair to you.
And we don't want to push you too far, but you have
to fund the project longer and wait longer
to get your science results.
So it's a delicate thing trying to pick the right place
for you in the process.
So we have folks that would work on the strategic timeframe
to help you with that.
>> Attendee: To shorten it or?
I guess, you know, the scenario you just described is
that the PI and the payload developer are put
in the position of trying
to accelerate the integration schedule
to make their schedules.
Or going back to the sponsoring agency, saying well,
my three years is up and I haven't flown
yet because I haven't gotten integrated and manifested.
And it sounds like there is no real resolution to that yet.
>> George Norris: I think, you know,
we have two processes that we can use.
We have our normal integration process which I spoke here.
And depending on your complexity and how you fit,
we have an accelerated process or a lean process
that we could help you go through this cycle faster.
But it depends on what your requirements are,
and how much outside the norm we would have
to go do it to make you fly.
So there are things that we can do to speed up the process,
but it depends on what your payload is
and what your requirements are.
>> Attendee: Thanks.
>> Attendee 2: I have a question
about the payload training facility
that they've got at GAC.
And how much lead time do you give the customer
to deliver the package to put in the rack, work out the kinks
and the procedures before they start training the crew?
>> George Norris: Usually a lot of that is determined
by the payload developer
when they'll have their training unit available and some cases.
So as soon as they have it available,
I think we would be willing to work with them
and get it integrated.
But that doesn't mean that we can go do training,
because we have to develop procedures, as you mentioned.
Any displays that we have to do, all of those things have
to be developed with working through our operations group,
which you'll get the details of that in just a little bit.
So I think there's nothing that we're, we don't intend
to constrain you of when you can deliver the hardware.
Usually it's just on when the payload developer has it
available to go do.
[ Silence ]
Any other questions?
Okay. Thank you.
[ Applause ]