NASA Bluetooth Wireless Communications

Robert Miller Avionics Division, NASA JSC, robert.d.miller@nasa.gov

NASA has been interested in wireless communications for many years, especially when the crew size of the International Space Station (ISS) was reduced to two members. NASA began a study to find ways to improve crew efficiency to make sure the ISS could be maintained with limited crew capacity and still be a valuable research testbed in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). Currently the ISS audio system requires astronauts to be tethered to the audio system, specifically a device called the Audio Terminal Unit (ATU). Wireless communications would remove the tether and allow astronauts to freely float from experiment to experiment without having to worry about moving and reconnecting the associated cabling or finding the space equivalent of an extension cord. A wireless communication system would also improve safety and reduce system susceptibility to Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). Safety would be improved because a crewmember could quickly escape a fire while maintaining communications with the ground and other crewmembers at any location. In addition, it would allow the crew to overcome the volume limitations of the ISS ATU. This is especially important to the Portable Breathing Apparatus (PBA). The next generation of space vehicles and habitats also demand wireless attention. Orion will carry up to six crewmembers in a relatively small cabin. Yet, wireless could become a driving factor to reduce launch weight and increase habitable volume. Six crewmembers, each tethered to a panel, could result in a wiring mess even in nominal operations. In addition to Orion, research is being conducted to determine if Bluetooth is appropriate for Lunar Habitat applications. NASA’s Avionic Systems division has built and tested wireless communications systems geared around Bluetooth to save power and minimize interference with Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). Bluetooth’s frequency hopping scheme was built to minimize interference in the 2.4GHz band. NASA has also studied and quantified how much of a factor that interference will play and is looking into authorizing the frequency for use on board. In addition, NASA has been heavily researching Voice over IP (VoIP) because IP traffic between systems is a requirement in the Constellation Program (CxP). Two options to continue NASA’s current work are by (1) pursuing a Detailed Test Objective (DTO) for a wireless system onboard the ISS or (2) building a wireless handset to reduce the Space Shuttle’s susceptibility to EMI while providing a low-cost integration path to the ISS.

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20070020345 2020-07-20T00:56:51+00:00Z

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