NASA SmallSat: Deep Space Symposium / Cube Quest Ground Tournament 4

The Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute in collaboration with the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Centennial Challenges Program sponsored the SmallSats Deep Space Symposium / Cube Quest Ground Tournament 4 at NASA Ames Research Center on June 7-8, 2017.

The SmallSat Deep Space Symposium offered an opportunity for NASA to share how the Agency is advancing the capabilities of small spacecraft for deep space science and exploration. Speakers from NASA’s Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) and Science Mission Directorate (SMD) discussed NASA’s vision regarding what can soon be possible in deep space with SmallSats. Others offered the mission concepts that could enable these visions. The Space Launch System Program discussed the 13 secondary payloads that will ride along on Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) to be deployed on a translunar trajectory during the first lunar flyby of Orion in 2019. The symposium also highlighted several missions sponsored by the Small Spacecraft Technology Program aimed at demonstrating SmallSat technologies that will be needed for deep space operations.

The Symposium culminated in the announcement of the winners of the Centennial Challenges Program’s Cube Quest Challenge including the CubeSats chosen to launch on EM-1 to compete for prizes at the moon and beyond. NASA’s Cube Quest Challenge is a $5 million prize that challenges citizen inventors to design and launch a small satellite – known as a CubeSat – into space and then continue in a race around the moon and beyond.

Wednesday, June 7

9:30AM
Ames Management Welcome
Thomas Edwards, Deputy Center Director, NASA Ames Research Center                                   
9:40AM
Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute
Bruce Yost, Director, Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute, NASA Ames Research Center          
10:00AM
Introduction to the Centennial Challenges Program and the CubeQuest Challenge
Monsi Roman, Program Manager, Centennial Challenges Program, Marshall Space Flight Center
10:15AM
Keynote: SmallSats Supporting Deep Space Human Exploration
Andrés Martinez, Program Executive, Advanced Exploration Systems Division, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
10:45AM
Break
11:00AM
Keynote: Why Small Spacecraft are Important to Science Missions
Larry Kepko, Senior Program Executive for SubOrbital and Special Orbital Research Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
11:30AM
Mission Design for Deep Space CubeSats
Butler Hine, Chief Technologist, Engineering Directorate, NASA Ames Research Center. Scott Richey, Chief, Mission Design Division NASA Ames Research Center 
12:00PM
Break
1:00PM
Small Spacecraft Development: Then and Now
David Korsmeyer, Director, Engineering Directorate, NASA Ames Research Center  
1:15PM
Space Launch System Secondary Payloads Overview
Steve Creech, SLS Spacecraft/Payload Integration and Evolution Office, Marshall Space Flight Center    
1:45PM
CubeQuest Overview and Ground Tournament 4 Teams
Jim Cockrell, CubeQuest Challenge Administrator, NASA Ames Research Center

3:00PM
Small Business Innovation Research Overview
Jenn Gustetic, Program Executive, SBIR/STTR NASA Headquarters

Thursday, June 8

9:00AM
Media Day Overview
Kimberly Williams, Ames Public Affairs Office, NASA Ames Research Center

9:05AM
NASA Remarks
9:10AM
Small Spacecraft Technology Program Panel
Roger Hunter, Program Manager, Small Spacecraft Technology Program, NASA Ames Research Center

Optical Communications and Sensor Demonstration (OCSD) Mission
Richard Welle, The Aerospace Corporation

Integrated Solar Array and Reflectarray Antenna (ISARA) Mission
Richard Hodges, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

CubeSat Proximity Operations Demonstration (CPOD) Mission
Ehson Mosleh, Tyvak, Inc
9:50AM
History of the CubeQuest Challenge
Jim Cockrell
CubeQuest Ground Tournament 4 Awards
Monsi Roman
What Comes Next – Deep Space & Lunar Derbies
Jim Cockrell
11:15AM
Closing Comments
Bruce Yost