STFC
>
Space Science
>
SEDAT
> Description
SEDAT project description
Overview
The aim of the SEDAT project is to develop a new approach to the engineering
analysis of the spacecraft charged-particle environment. This project will
assemble a database containing a large and comprehensive set of data about
that environment as measured in-situ by a number of space plasma missions.
Thus the user will be able to select a set of space environment data appropriate
to the engineering problem under study. The project will also develop a
set of software tools, which can operate on the data retrieved from the
SEDAT database. These tools will allow the user to carry out a wide range
of engineering analyses.
This approach differs from traditional space environment engineering
studies. In the latter the space environment is characterised by a model
that is a synthesis of previous observations. However, in SEDAT the environment
is characterised directly by the observations. This approach offers several
advantages to the engineering analyst:
-
The data used in the study can be tailored more precisely to the engineering
problem under study. The analysis is not constrained by selection effects
within the model used.
-
Similarly the analyst may tailor the processing of the data to the problem
under study. The analysis is not constrained by binning or other processing
effects that were used to generate the model.
-
New data are readily incorporated in the database and thus made available
for engineering analyses. The traditional approach would require the production,
validation and dissemination of an updated model, which is a far more time-consuming
activity.
SEDAT implementation
The implementation of SEDAT is divided into three main parts:
-
Construction of the SEDAT database
-
Production of the analysis tools to be used in conjunction with the SEDAT
database
-
Execution of four small exercises, using the SEDAT database and tools,
to demonstrate that these functions operate correctly.
To support this approach, the requirements are specified in a number
of separate documents:
-
The user requirements (RAL-SED-UR-0001) for the database sub-system,
-
The user requirements (RAL-SED-UR-0002) for the tools sub-system,
-
A single software specification (RAL-SED-SS-0001) covering the two sub-systems
and the interfaces between them. The use of a single document ensures
the integrated operation of the database and tools, which was identified
as an essential attribute during the preparation of the SEDAT user requirements.
-
A series of four technical notes specifying procedures and resources for
the four demonstrations of the SEDAT system:
-
Update of solar proton model (RAL-SED-TN-0301)
-
Radiation dose calculation for interplanetary mission (RAL-SED-TN-0302)
-
Correlation of electron fluxes with spacecraft anomalies (RAL-SED-TN-0303)
-
Electron fluorescence on XMM (RAL-SED-TN-0304)
At the time of writing (12 Jan 2000) the two user requirements documents
and the software specification document
have been completed and formally agreed between ESA and CCLRC.
Most of the SEDAT infrastructure has been put in place and we are
moving towards the first of the four demonstrations of SEDAT.
Statement of Work
The formal ESA Statement of Work for this contract can be downloaded
(PDF file).
[STFC]
[SSTD]
$Date: 2000/01/12 11:26:10 Mike Hapgood