JWST (NGST)

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), formerly called the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) is a planned orbiting infrared observatory that will replace the Hubble Space Telescope in approximately the year 2010. In order to acheive far better resolution and to see far fainter objects than Hubble, JWST will employ a segmented primary mirror.

Motivation for the research performed by the Space Systems Laboratory is based on the challenges of a large, deployable space observatory that has to achieve milli-arcsecond pointing accuracy and acceptable wavefront error performance in the presence of dynamic on-board disturbances. It will not be possible to test the fully deployed observatory in a 1-g environment; therefore, detailed modeling and simulation are necessary steps in order to reduce technological risks.

AMASS

The SSL was a co-Investigator on the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) AMASS program to demonstrate active solar panel damping.

DLS

The Dynamic Loads Sensor Experiment (DLS) experiment flew on STS-62 to acquire the most comprehensive database on the effect of crew push-off loads on the micro-gravity environmen. Reflight of DLS occurred in 1996 when it became a permanent facility on the Russian Space Station MIR.

IPEX

TheInterferometry Program Experiment (IPEX) is a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory flight experiment which investigates the microdynamic behavior of a representative deployable space truss, including the effects of thermally induced disturbances. It flew on STS-85 on the Space Shuttle Discover in early August 1997, as a secondary payload on the ASTRO-SPAS free-flying telescope carrier.

The objectives of the experiment were to assess whether thermal snap will occur for a preloaded jointed structure, and whether such a boom will satisfy the dynamic and thermal stability requirements for precision interferometry. Other main goals of the IPEX project were to validate ground test and modeling techniques. The MIT SSL's work on IPEX focused on predicting the boom response to the disturbance from the Astro-SPAS carriers background noise levels, and to a potential thermal creak disturbance.

MACE, MACE II

The Middeck Active Control Experiment (MACE) flew on STS-67 in March of 1995 to explore advanced control concepts for attitude and instrument pointing control on future spacecraft.

MODE

The objectives of the Middeck 0-G Dynamics Experiment (MODE) were to study suspension and gravity influences on the structural dynamics of a modular truss system by comparing the measured response in ground and orbital tests and to quantify the suspension and gravity induced perturbations using analytical models of the suspension and nonlinear effects. The repeatability of measured modal properties from test to test and from test article to test article was also examined. The final MODE objective was to develop a component testing procedure that will yield the information necessary to update second generation structural models to obtain the accuracy desired for the design of robust and high performance closed loop controllers.

MODE was funded by IN-STEP in 1988 and flew on board STS-48 in September 1991. The research, design and development were a combined effort of MIT SERC, Payload Systems Inc. and Mide Technology Corporation.

SAMPIE

The SSL was a co-Investigator on the Shuttle Wake Shield facility and on the Solar Array Module Plasma Interactions Experiment (SAMPIE) experiment on STS-62 which studied high voltage solar cells.

Wake Shield Facility

The SSL was a co-Investigator on the Shuttle Wake Shield Facility.