Accomplishing the science objectives through the enhancement of the science planning process for ESA planetary missions

Abstract

The problem of planning the operations of scientific instruments on a planetary mission is characterised by the presence of a considerable number of candidate science opportunities at any given time, which are competing for limited and shared resources. One of the major challenges of any planning and scheduling problem is defining expedient criteria for the selection and prioritisation of activities, in order to achieve the objectives and to optimise the outcome of the planning process. Science operation planning for ESA planetary mission is no exception in this respect; mission science objectives need to be achieved inside the allocated mission duration through the scheduling of instrument observations within the available constraints and resources. In the centralised science-planning concept the process begins with the collection and organisation of the input planning information. Instrument teams submit observation requests that encapsulate all of the required information for planning a generic category of observations. Defining a link to one or more of the mission science objectives provides the justification for the inclusion of an observation. While a simple link can identify which scientific objectives a requested observation would contribute to the actual extent of the contribution requires the information and links to be elaborated. Another aspect that is not addressed sufficiently by simple assignment of requested observations to scientific objectives is the prioritisation of observations based on their context, that is consideration of previously executed or planned future observations of the same type. This paper will discuss how elaborated constraints and criteria for fulfilment of science objectives can be accommodated in the science planning data model. In particular it will examine the use of coverage requirements to define observation campaigns and their role in a prioritisation scheme used to converge on an observation schedule that optimises the contribution to the mission objectives, given the limited availability of spacecraft resources. © 2010 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.