Editing SMART-1 (section)

== Smart-1 Ground Segment and Operations ==
[[File:ESA's_SMART-1-_testing_solar_electric_propulsion_and_studying_the_Moon_ESA194476.jpg|thumb|Smart-1 spacecraft]]
[https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/SMART-1 Smart-1] operations were conducted from the ESA European Space Operations Center [https://www.esa.int/About_Us/ESOC ESOC] in Darmstadt Germany led by the Spacecraft Operations Manager  [https://www.linkedin.com/in/octavio-camino-ramos-06ab73b/ Octavio Camino].

The ground segment of Smart-1 was a good example of infrastructure reuse at ESA: Flight Dynamics infrastructure and Data distribution System (DDS) from [https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosetta Rosetta], [https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express Mars Express] and [https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/Venus_Express Venus Express]. The generic mission control system software [https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/gse/SCOS-2000 SCOS 2000], and a set of generic interface elements use at ESA for the operations of their missions.

The use of CCSDS TLM and TC standards permitted a cost effective tailoring of seven different terminals of the ESA Tracking network ([https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/Estrack ESTRACK]) plus [https://www.dlr.de/content/en/sites/weilheim.html Weilheim] in Germany (DLR).

The components that were developed specifically for Smart-1 were: the simulator; a mix of hardware and software derived from the Electrical Ground Support Equipment EGSE equipment, the Mission Planning System and the Automation System developed from [https://www.rheagroup.com/news/new-generation-toolset-mission-operations-preparation-and-validation MOIS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803032612/https://www.rheagroup.com/news/new-generation-toolset-mission-operations-preparation-and-validation |date=3 August 2019 }} (this last based on a prototype implemented for [https://earth.esa.int/web/guest/missions/esa-operational-eo-missions/envisat Envisat]) and a suite of engineering tools called [https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/WebMUST_br_A_web-based_client_for_MUST MUST]. This last permitted the Smart-1 engineers to do anomaly investigation through internet, pioneering at ESA monitoring of spacecraft TLM using mobile phones and [[Personal digital assistant|PDAs]] and receiving spacecraft alarms via [[SMS]].<ref>{{Citation |work=6th ICLCPM 2005 SMART-1 Lunar Mission – Reducing Mission Operations Costs.pdf (O.Camino et al) ESA |title=English: SMART-1 is the first of the European Space Agency's Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology. |date=22 September 2005 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:6th_ICLCPM_2005_SMART-1_Lunar_Mission_-_Reducing_Mission_Operations_Costs.pdf |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref>
<nowiki/>The Mission Control Team was composed of seven engineers in the Flight Control Team (FCT), a variable group between 2–5 Flight Dynamics engineers and 1–2 Data Systems engineers. Unlike most ESA missions, there were no Spacecraft Controllers (SPACONs), and all operations and mission-planning activities were done by the FCT. This concept originated overtime and night shifts during the first months of the mission but worked well during the cruise and the Moon phases.
The major concern during the first three months of the mission was to leave the radiation belts as soon as possible in order to minimize the degradation of the solar arrays and the star tracker CCDs.

The first and most critical problem came after the first revolution when a failure in the onboard Error Detection and Correction (EDAC) algorithm triggered an autonomous switch to the redundant computer in every orbit causing several reboots, finding the spacecraft in SAFE mode after every pericenter passage. The analysis of the spacecraft telemetry pointed directly to a radiation-triggered problem with the EDAC interrupt routine.<ref name=":1">{{Citation |last=Camino|first=Octavio |title=English: Smart-1 Operations Report (O.Camino et al) |date=10 February 2020 |via=commons.wikimedia.org |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RCSGSO_SMART-1_-_Europe%27s_Lunar_Mission_-_Octavio_Camino_(114381).pdf |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref>

Other anomalies during this period were a combination of environmental problems: high radiation doses, especially in the star trackers and onboard software anomalies: the Reed Solomon encoding became corrupt after switching data rates and had to be disabled. It was overcome by procedures and changes on ground operations approach.
The star trackers were also subject of frequent hiccups during the earth escape and caused some of the Electric Propulsion (EP) interruptions.<ref name=":0">[[c:File:SMART-1_Lunar_Mission_Star_Tracker_Operations_Experience.pdf|SMART]]-1 Lunar Mission Star Tracker Operations Experience (M.Alonso)</ref> They were all resolved with several software patches.

The EP showed sensitivity to radiation inducing shutdowns. This phenomenon identified as the Opto-coupler Single Event Transient (OSET), initially seen in LEOP during the first firing using cathode B, was characterized by a rapid drop in Anode Current triggering the alarm 'Flame Out' bit causing the shutdown of the EP. The problem was identified to be radiation induced Opto-coupler sensitivity. The recovery of such events was to restart the thruster. This was manually done during several months until an On Board Software Patch (OBSW) was developed to detect it and initiate an autonomous thruster restart. Its impact was limited to the orbit prediction calculation used for the Ground Stations to track the spacecraft and the subsequent orbit corrections.

The different kind of anomalies and the frequent interruptions in the thrust of the Electric Propulsion led to an increase of the ground stations support and overtime of the flight operations team who had to react quickly. Their recovery was sometimes time consuming, especially when the spacecraft was found in SAFE mode.<ref>{{Citation |work=SMART-1 AOCS and its relation with electric propulsion system (M.Alonso et al) ESA |title=English: SMART-1 is the first of the European Space Agency's Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology. |via=commons.wikimedia.org |date=16 October 2005 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SMART-1_AOCS_and_its_relation_with_electric_propulsion_system_GNC_Alonso_Ref166673.pdf |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref> Overall, they impeded to run the operations as originally planned having one 8 hours pass every 4 days.
[[File:Once_SMART-1_has_been_captured_by_the_Moon's_gravity,_it_begins_to_work_its_way_closer_to_the_lunar_surface_ESA234908.gif|thumb|Smart-1 Moon orbit descend]]
The mission negotiated the use the [https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/Estrack ESTRACK] network spare capacity. This concept permitted about eight times additional network coverage at no extra cost but originated unexpected overheads and conflicts. It ultimately permitted additional contacts with the spacecraft during the early stage of the mission and an important increase of science during the Moon phase. This phase required a major reconfiguration of the on-board stores and its operation. This change designed by the flight control team at ESOC and implemented by the Swedish Space Corporation in a short time required to re-write part of the Flight Control Procedures FOP for the operations at the Moon.

The Operations during the Moon phase become highly automated: the flight dynamics pointing was "menu driven" allowing more than 98% of commanding being generated by the Mission Planning System MPS. The extension of the MPS system with the so called MOIS Executor,<ref name=":1" /> became the Smart-1 automation system. It permitted to operate 70% of the passes unmanned towards the end of the mission and allowed the validation of the first operational "spacecraft automation system" at ESA.<ref>{{Citation |last=Camino|first=Octavio |title=SMART-1 – Europe's Lunar Mission (O.Camino et al) |date=10 February 2020 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RCSGSO_SMART-1_-_Europe%27s_Lunar_Mission_-_Octavio_Camino_(114381).pdf |via=commons.wikimedia.org |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref>

The mission achieved all its objectives: getting out of the radiation belts influence 3 months after launch, spiraling out during 11 months and being captured by the Moon using resonances, the commissioning and operations of all instruments during the cruise phase and the optimization of the navigation and operational procedures required for Electric Propulsion operation.<ref>D.Milligan [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SMART-1_D.Milligan_SMART-1_Electric_Propulsion_Operational_Experience.pdf Operationally Enhanced Electric Propulsion Performance on Electrically Propelled Spacecraft] via commons.wikimedia.org</ref> The efficient operations of the Electric Propulsion at the Moon allowed the reduction of the orbital radius benefiting the scientific operations and extending this mission by one extra year.

A detailed chronology of the operations events is provided in ref.<ref name=":1" />