The document discusses integrated testing plans for the Constellation program at KSC. It describes plans to conduct Multi-Element Integrated Tests (MEITs) to test interactions between Constellation flight elements launched on different vehicles before they are integrated in space. MEITs found significant problems in previous programs that could have impacted safety and mission objectives. The tests are intended to reduce risks by identifying issues early.

1. KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
Integrated Testing at KSC
between Constellation
Systems
Tim Honeycutt
February 2008
Timothy.R.Honeycutt@nasa.gov
321-867-6567
321- 867-

2. KSC Constellation Project Office
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
KSC Constellation
Project Office
Business Staff Office
Project Control Logistics
Operations & Systems Engineering
Integration & Integration
(including IT&V)
Crew Vehicle Ground Command,
Systems (GS) Control, and
Project Communications
Launch Vehicle
GS Project GS Project GS Project Support
Management Integration & Office
Requirements
2

3. Presentation Outline
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• History of Multi-Element Integration Tests (MEITs)
– MEIT Concept
– Previous MEITs
– Major Problems Found
– Benefits
• Integrated Testing at KSC for the Constellation Program
– Integrated Tests
• Multi-Element Integrated Tests (MEITs)
• Flight Element Integrated Tests (FEITs)
• Integrated Verification Tests (IVTs)
• Summary
3

4. History
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• “Ship and shoot” was the strategy for the International Space
Station Program (ISSP) during the early 1990’s
– It proposed transporting flight elements directly from the factory to the
launch site and begin the mission without further testing.
– Factory level testing and element interface verifications at the
subsystem-level, and interface analysis were all that was planned.
• Before the end of that decade a shift in testing strategy occurred
within the ISSP
– The ISSP adopted a more integrated approach for ground validation of
it’s flight hardware.
– Availability of elements at the launch site created a feasible opportunity
to test multiple elements together.
– The notion of validation testing on the ground was presented and
accepted by the ISSP due to the criticality of the on-orbit functionality,
including safety concerns for the crew .
4

5. History (cont)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• Multi Element Integration Tests (MEITs) and Integrated Systems
Tests (ISTs)
– Risk mitigation tests performed on the ground, used for validating the
operation of the flight elements and their systems in an environment that
is as flight-like as possible.
– These tests were used to demonstrate the interoperability and
functionality of Space Station elements as integrated “in-space”
assemblies on the ground before they were assembled in space for the
first time.
• Space Station element-to-element interface capability was verified as
well as systems end-to-end operability with hardware and software.
• Mission Sequence Testing (MST), also known as “end-to-end”
integration testing, included a full-up configuration with the Mission
Control Center, Tracking Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS), and
the “station” operating on the ground.
• Also verified limited on-orbit system compatibility.
5

6. KSC ISS MEIT/IST Experience
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• Planned/developed and implemented the following for ISSP:
– MEIT1:
• U.S. Lab, Z1, P6, SSRMS, Node1 (emulated)
– MEIT2:
• S0/MT/MBS, S1, P1, P3/4, US Lab (emulated)
– MEIT3:
• JEM, Node2, US Lab (emulated)
– Node2 Systems Test
• Node2, US LAB & Node1 (emulated)
6

7. MEIT Configurations
S
RM SPDM 18
SS 18 31 18
18 MBS 18
External 31
Payload
24 31 ULC (or SLP)
External
CETA SLP (or ULC)
Payload 30 CETA 30 30 MT 30 25
24 25
S-Band
17 17 17 17
26 26 23 32
24 24 12 12 25 25
16 14 14 14 16 14 16
16
S6 11 11 S5 8
11 11 S4 28 S3 22 22 S1 22 22 S0 22 22 P1 22 22 P3 28 P4 8
11 11 P5 11 11 P6
16 16 16 16
13 13
24 24 21
17 17 15 15 15 15
JEM ELM ES 17 17
15 15
24
29
External
29
Payload
24 JEM EF
S0-to-Lab Struts
External
29
Payload
5,7 5,7
29
5,7 5,7
MEIT-2 Uses
5,7 5,7 US Lab Simulation 9 8 8 9
JEM
ELM PS
SPP
27
5,7 5,7
RA
27 27
E 27 27
18
JEM PM
27 27
CUPOLA 9
8 8
6
re
la Primary Orbiter
2 St 8
7 places
8
Docking
9 9
12 5,7 2 12 5,7 PORT
18 21 PORT Interface
EFGF
Z 4 ZENITH
Progress 3 Service
M1
3 4 A
Module
F 4 2 2 A FGB F 4 1 1
PMA1
PM
9 AFT FWD 9 8 8 9 U.S. LAB 9 8 8 9 AFT FWD 9 8 8
N 4
5,7
N 4
A3 PMA2 4 1 1 PM 1
sim
5,7
2 18 3
ula NADIR
tion 27
2 3
Z NODE 1 Ku-Band
NODE 2
DSM
DC simulated CMGs (4) 12
RM-1 3 3 S P 3 3 3
-2 CRV#1 A P
Universal
Docking
1 8 9 NADIR ZENITH 9 8 8 N
Z1 Z 11 MPLM 9 8 8 9 NADIR ZENITH 9 8 8 9 CAM
Module 3
Alternate 1 F S
10
A F 3 RM-2 Soyuz CRV
Orbiter Docking 3 3
TM
adapt
STBD STBD
9 18 9
Interface N 8
8 8
3 16 Beta Gimbal Assembly
NTA 20 20
8 17 Solar Array Deployment 8
3 8 NTA 20 20 18 Power/Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) LEGEND
8 9 9
Soyuz 19 Orbiter ‘D’ Hatch Remotely actuated mechanisms
9 9
8 TM OTA 20 20
AIRLOCK 20 NTA/OTA Attachment Mechanism
1 4 PMA3 AFT STBD EVA operated mechanisms
21 Lab Cradle Assy / MTSAS
NODE 3 19 22 Segment to Segment Attach System (SSAS) IVA operated mechanisms
1 Modified APAS
8 9 NADIR ZENITH 9 8 OTA 20 20
23 Mobile Transporter Drive
COF
FWD PORT Articulating/Deployable mechanisms
2 Hybrid Docking Assembly (HDA) 24 Payload Attach System (PAS)
3 Probe and Cone (P&C)
9 9 27
25 ULC Attach System (ULCAS) Translation mechanisms
Alternate MPLM
4 APAS Hatch Berthing Location 8 8 26 CETA Rollers passive active
5 RSA Solar Array Deploy Mechanism
8 9
U.S. 9 8
27 Window Shutter
6 RSA Radiator Deploy Mechanism 11 Rocketdyne Truss Attachment (RTAS) 28 Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) MEIT 1 Completed 2/00
7 RSA Array Pointing Mechanism 12 Deployable Antenna
HAB 29 JEM Berthing Mechanism MEIT 2 Completed 4/02
8 Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) 13 Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint (TRRJ) 30 CETA Coupler
MEIT 3 Completed 9/03
9 US Common Hatch 14 EPS Radiator Deployment 31 Common Attach System (CAS)
10 Manual Berthing Mechanism (MBM) 15 TCS Radiator Deployment 32 Trailing Umbilical System (TUS) (2)

8. MEIT 2 Hardware at KSC
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
P3 Truss P4 Truss
P1Truss
S0 Truss US Lab
Emulator
S1Truss
8

9. Problems Found in MEITs (Top Examples)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• P6 truss failed to power up due to Auxiliary Power Converter Unit
(APCU) under voltage trip condition.
– Impact: Unable to start P6 on Orbit.
• US Lab critical activation took 36 hours during the first MEIT Power-up
(computer/procedure problems), Requirement <2 hrs. During MEIT
regression Mission Sequence Test, Critical Activation took 1 hr, 15
minutes.
– Impact: Loss of Lab element during on-orbit activation due to
thermal loading.
• Command and Control (C&C) computers failed several times due to
task overrun problems (CPU utilization problems).
– Impact: Significant operational issues (Loss of Vehicle
commanding, Vehicle health visibility, visibility to crew/ground)
would occur because of continued loss of C&C computers.
9

10. Problems Found in MEITs (Top Examples)
(continued)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• Video lines were swapped between Trailing Umbilical Systems 1,
2 (NASA) and Mobile Base System (Canadian Space Agency).
– Impact: Significant operational impact to manually route video
signals. Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) would have been required
to replace two harnesses to correct the problem.
• C&C computers failed when performing synchronization to
Global Positioning System (GPS) time.
– Impact: Loss of accurate GPS capability, degraded attitude
control capability until development /testing and on-orbit upload of
new software patch.
• Quality of Space to Ground Audio was unacceptable.
– Impact: Operation and potential safety impact to crew due to lack
of understanding between Crew/Ground.
10

11. MEIT Benefits
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• Significant findings from MEIT have created an opportunity to
correct major operational problems which would have resulted in:
– Cost/Schedule Slip
• Major milestone slippage in the Program
– Critical On-orbit Operations impacts
• Safety concerns for the crew
• Loss of mission objectives
• Loss of flight hardware
– Nominal Operations impacts
• Unknown operation risks (loss of redundancy capability)
– Unplanned EVA’s
The cumulative effect of identifying & resolving integrated
hardware, software and procedure problems before flight has
proven to save the International Space Station Program major
on-orbit issues.
11

12. Integrated Testing at KSC
for the Constellation Program (CxP)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• Testing that occurs between two or more individual Constellation
Systems to verify the interfaces between those Systems and to
validate the integrated Systems' functionality and interoperability.
• Includes testing mechanical, electrical, data and fluid interfaces.
• Integrated testing applies to the in-space flight and integrated
vehicle stack configurations.
– Multi-Element Integration Testing (MEIT)
– Flight Element Integration Testing (FEIT)
– Interface Verification Testing (IVT)
12

13. Constellation Architecture
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
Crew Exploration Vehicle – CEV/Orion
Constellation Lunar Lander – Lander/Altair
Crew Launch Vehicle – CLV/Ares I
Architecture Cargo Launch Vehicle – CaLV/Ares V
Crew Vehicles Launch Vehicles Ground & Mission
& Systems & Systems Systems
Ground
CEV CLV Future
Systems
Lunar Mission
CaLV
Lander Systems
EVA CLV Elements
-1st Stage
Systems -Upper Stage
-Upper Stage Engine CxProgram Architecture Level 2
Flight Crew Project Level 3
CEV Elements System
Equip. -Launch Abort System (LAS)
-Crew Module (CM) Element Level 4
Lunar -Service Module (SM) Subsystem Level 5
Surface -Spacecraft Adapter (SA)
Systems
Subsystems: examples include Future
data, power, thermal, etc.
13

14. Multi-Element Integration Test (MEIT)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
MEIT:
• An integration test between two or more flight systems that will be launched
on separate launch vehicles and integrated together for the first time in
space.
– Interfaces between the flight systems, mission systems, and other
appropriate CxP/ISSP and external systems may be also tested as part
of each MEIT.
• The primary objectives of MEIT are:
– Demonstrate the interoperability, functionality, and stability of the flight
systems, elements, and sub-systems as an integrated “in-space” vehicle
assembly on the ground before they are assembled in space for the first
time.
– Validate critical mission sequence activities and flight procedures prior to
their first-time execution in-flight.
• A secondary objective of MEIT is:
– To collect functional and performance data from the integrated flight
systems to support validation of the different interface test tool sets,
emulators, and simulators used by the Projects in accepting future serial
numbers of those flight systems.
14

15. MEIT (continued)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• MEIT serves as a training ground for:
– Flight crews and trainers
– Mission Operations Division (MOD)/Mission Control Center (MCC)
personnel
– Constellation system engineers
• MEITs are executed after all of the system-level requirements have
been satisfied by the involved Project offices and those offices declare
their system designs as verified for flight.
• MEITs are one time tests with a potential for a follow-on regression
test.
– Performed prior to first crewed missions
• Use of flight-like emulators and cables/connectors may be used when
integration between the flight systems is not practical.
• Planned MEITs:
– CEV to International Space Station (ISS) (using ISS emulation)
– CEV to Lunar Lander/Earth Departure Stage (EDS) (using EDS
emulation) 15

16. MEIT 1
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
MEIT 1 Test Configuration
(performed in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility)
16

17. MEIT 1: CEV to ISS (Emulator)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• CEV-International Space Station (ISS) MEIT
– To be performed in the year 2012, prior to first ISS flight.
– Tests interoperability/functionality and all functional interfaces: data,
audio, video, RF, power.
– End-to-end test with Mission Control performed via TDRSS.
– Uses emulation in place of ISS flight hardware.
– Mated with flight-like cables and connectors.
CEV ISS Flight Emulator
LIDS
17

18. CEV-ISS Interfaces
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
– Mechanical
• CxP will utilize newly developed Low Impact Docking System
(LIDS)
• LIDS is not compatible with ISS Docking System (APAS:
Androgynous Peripheral Attach System)
• CxP will construct two APAS To LIDS Adapter Segments (ATLAS)
• ATLAS will be installed permanently on Peripheral Mating
Adapters (PMAs) 2 and 3
• Provides power and data pass through capability
– Power
• ISS will provide 120 VDC to CEV via two redundant power feeds
• CEV will convert 120 VDC ISS power to 28 VDC for internal buses
– Fluids/Gases
• Only requirements are for Inter Module Ventilation (IMV) air
circulation – essentially same as for Shuttle orbiter
18

19. CEV-ISS Interfaces
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
– Avionics
• Audio, video, and data are distributed internally to CEV over a
Gigabit Ethernet network
• CEV bus would connect to CxP provided Common
Communications Adapter (CCA) which would provide
conversion to legacy ISS networks.
– CCA required for MIL-STD-1553 (ISS) and Gigabit Ethernet
(CEV) data conversions
– CCA installed on ISS
– CCA or prototype would be integrated into ISS emulator and
tested with CEV in MEIT
• Separate CEV to ISS S-Band RF link would be implemented for
rendezvous/proximity ops
19

20. MEIT 2
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
MEIT 2 Test Configurations (TCs)
(performed in the Space Station Processing Facility)
20

21. MEIT 2: Test Configuration #1
(TC1)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
CEV to Lunar Lander
with EDS Emulation
EDS
LIDS
LIDS
(Emulation)
21

22. MEIT 2: Test Configuration #2
(TC2)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
CEV to Lunar Lander
LIDS
LIDS
22

23. Flight Element Integration Test (FEIT)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
FEIT:
– An integration test between the new or significantly modified systems
and elements being assembled into an integrated launch vehicle for
the first time.
• Interfaces between the flight systems, ground systems, mission
systems, and other appropriate CxP and external systems may be
also tested as part of each FEIT.
• The primary objectives of the FEIT are:
– Demonstrate the interoperability, functionality, and stability of the flight
systems, elements, and sub-systems as an integrated “launch
vehicle” assembly prior to the first operational test flight of that
particular launch vehicle configuration.
– Validate critical mission sequence activities and flight procedures prior
to their first-time execution.
• A secondary objective of the FEIT is:
– To collect functional and performance data from the integrated flight
systems to support validation of the different interface test tool sets,
emulators, and simulators used by the Projects in accepting future
serial numbers of those flight systems.
23

24. FEIT (continued)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• FEITs are executed after all of the system-level requirements have
been satisfied by the involved Project offices and those offices
declare their system designs as verified for flight.
• FEITs are planned and scheduled as part of the assembly and
preparation of the integrated launch vehicle.
• FEITs are currently planned for every test flight (except for Ares 1-X).
• Planned FEITs:
– CEV/CLV
– Lunar Lander/EDS/CaLV
24

25. FEIT 1
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
FEIT 1 Test Configuration
(performed in the Vehicle Assembly Building)
25

26. FEIT 1 – Ares 1 Launch Vehicle Stack
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• Test Configuration:
– CEV/CLV Integrated Stack
– Ground Systems
– Missions Systems
– SCaN (Space Communications
and Navigation)
CEV
CLV Upper
Stage
CLV 1st Stage
26

27. FEIT 2
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
FEIT 2 Test Configurations (TCs)
(performed in the Vehicle Assembly Building)
27

28. FEIT 2 – Ares V Launch Vehicle Stack
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
E E
D D
S S
Launch Vehicle
TC2
TC1
• Test Configurations: • Both test configurations include:
– Lunar Lander/EDS/CaLV (TC1) – Ground Systems
• Integrated Stack – Missions Systems
– Lunar Lander/EDS (TC2) – SCaN (Space Communications
• On-orbit Configuration and Navigation)
28

29. Interface Verification Testing (IVT)
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• Interface Verification Testing (IVT) verifies the mechanical and/or
electrical interfaces between two or more flight systems after these
systems have been mated.
• IVT consists of the minimal set of activities to verify the integrity of all
physical and functional interfaces between the systems involved for
each specific vehicle stack configuration.
• IVTs are performed as a subset of the FEITs during the flight tests
and then performed for every flight after Full Operational Capability
(FOC) has been obtained with the flight and ground Systems.
• Performed in the Vehicle Assembly Building.
• MEITs/FEITs would be required if any significant design upgrades or
modifications have occurred.
29

30. Summary
KSC Constellation Ground Operations Project Office
• Based on the previous success of MEITs for the International Space
Station Program, these type of integrated tests have also been
planned for the Constellation Program:
– MEIT
• CEV to ISS (emulated)
• CEV to Lunar Lander/EDS (emulated)
• Future: Lunar Surface Systems and Mars Missions
– FEIT
• CEV/CLV
• Lunar Lander/EDS/CaLV
– IVT
• Performed as a subset of the FEITs during the flight tests and then
performed for every flight after Full Operational Capability (FOC) has
been obtained with the flight and ground Systems.
"Standing alone, components may function adequately, and failure modes
may be anticipated. Yet when components are integrated into a total system
and work in concert, unanticipated interactions can occur that can lead to
catastrophic outcomes." (Columbia Accident Investigation Report (CAIB)
Report 2003)
30