2021 Small Spacecraft Virtual Forum – Agenda

9:30AM - 9:45AM Welcome and Overview

Florence W. Tan, Forum Chair
Chair, Small Spacecraft Coordination Group (SSCG)
NASA Headquarters

Peter B. Kahn, Forum Co-Chair
Manager, Project Systems Engineering and Formulation Section
SSCG Representative
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Bruce D. Yost, Forum Co-Chair
Director, Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute
SSCG Representative
NASA Ames Research Center

9:45AM - 11:00AM Organizational Lightning Talks

Science Mission Directorate

Wanda C. Peters, Ph.D
Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs
NASA Headquarters

Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate

James O. Norman
Director, Launch Services Office
NASA Headquarters

Science Mission Directorate

Aly Mendoza-Hill
Rideshare Lead
NASA Headquarters

Small Spacecraft Coordination Group

Florence W. Tan, Forum Chair
Chair, Small Spacecraft Coordination Group
NASA Headquarters

CubeSat Launch Initiative

Liam J. Cheney
Flight Projects Office, Launch Services Program
NASA Kennedy Space Center

Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute

Bruce D. Yost, Forum Co-Chair
Director, Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute
SSCG Representative
NASA Ames Research Center

Small Satellite and Special Projects Office

David A. Wilcox
Chief, Small Satellite and Special Projects Office
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/ Wallops Flight Facility

Thomas Johnson
Lead Portfolio Manager for Heliophysics Division/
Astrophysics Division Small Satellites,
NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center/Wallops Flight Facility

Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program

Gregory W. Heckler
Acting Director, Commercical Services Office
NASA's Space Communications and Navigation Program
NASA Headquarters

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Christopher E. Baker
Program Executive,
Small Spacecraft Technology Program and
Flight Opportunities Program
SSCG Representative
NASA Headquarters

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM NASA Center Introductions

NASA Ames Research Center

Chad R. Frost
Chief Technologist, Engineering Directorate
SSCG Representative

NASA Glenn Research Center

Carl E. Sandifer II
Deputy Chief, Space Science Project Office
SSCG Representative

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/
Wallops Flight Facility

David A. Wilcox
Chief, Small Satellite and Special Projects Office
SSCG Representative

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Peter B. Kahn, Forum Co-Chair
Manager, Project Systems Engineering and Formulation Section
SSCG Representative

NASA Johnson Space Center

Samuel M. Pedrotty
Deputy Project Manager
Safe and Precise Landing Integrated Capability
Evolution Project
SSCG Representative

NASA Kennedy Space Center

Liam J. Cheney
Flight Projects Office, Launch Services Program

NASA Langley Research Center

William "Chris" Edwards
Associate Director for Science, Engineering Directorate
SSCG Representative

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Joseph C. Casas
Science, Technology and Exploration Small Missions and DoD Formulation Manager, Partnerships and Formulation Office; Manager, Office of Secretary of Defense, Joint Capability Technology Demonstration, Arctic Collaborative Environment
SSCG Representative

12:00 PM - 12:15 PM Break

12:15 PM - 1:15 PM NASA Directorates and Programs - Opportunities

Advanced Exploration Systems, Human
Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate

Andres Martinez
Program Executive
Advanced Exploration Systems
SSCG Representative
NASA Headquarters

Planetary Science Division
Science Mission Directorate

Carolyn R. Mercer, Ph.D
Program Executive, Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx)
NASA Glenn Research Center

Astrophysics Division
Science Mission Directorate

Michael R. Garcia
SmallSats Program Scientist, Astrophysics Division
NASA Headquarters

Heliophysics Division
Science Mission Directorate

Amy R. Winebarger
Program Scientist, Heliophysics Division
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Earth Science Division
Science Mission Directorate

Sachidananda R. Babu
Program Manager, In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies
Earth Science Technology Office
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office
Science Mission Directorate

Jason E. Jenkins
Program Executive
Exploration Science Strategic Integration Office
NASA Headquarters

Small Spacecraft Technology Program
Science Mission Directorate

Justin V. Treptow
Element Lead, Small Spacecraft Technology Program and Flight Opportunities Program
NASA Headquarters

1:15 PM - 1:30 PM Special Sessions - Introductory Information and Expectations

Introduction to the Special Sessions Framework

• Organizational overview of the next several weeks of Special Sessions
• Topics and facilitators
• Discussion template (how discussion will be organized and captured)

Luis H. Santos, Forum Co-Chair
Chief Engineer, Small Satellite Project Office
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

1:30 PM - 1:45 PM Break

1:45 PM - 2:30 PM New Principal Investigator-Focused Panel Session

What's Next Now that I've had a Proposal Accepted?

Moderator: Therese Moretto Jorgensen, Ph.D
Chief Scientist
NASA Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute

A panel of managers will present their expectations and advice for newly selected mission teams to help enable the best possible start.

Reference: 2019 NASA SmallSat Mission Technical Interchange Meeting –

Tutorial Session Presentation

Watch the 2020 Webinar

Gregory Stover
Program Manager, Earth System Science Pathfinder
NASA Langley Research Center

James J. Cockrell
Chief Technologist
Small Spacecraft Technology Program
NASA Ames Research Center

Ryan P. Nugent
CubeSat Lab Program Lead
California Polytechnic State University

John D. Hudeck
Deputy Portfolio Manager for Heliophysics Division/Astrophysics Division Small Satellites
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/ Wallops Flight Facility

April 1

Pre-Phase A Concept Studies and Proposals

1. Project Management (reviews, staffing, schedule and budget)
2. HQ process for AOs (opportunities, timeline)
3. Systems Engineering (technical budgets, subsystems)

1. Characteristics of a Winning Proposal (margins, completeness, compelling science, innovative technology or approach)
2. Safety and Mission Assurance (class D vs. Do No Harm, ODAR, Planetary Protection, LEO lifetime)
3. Mission Design Tools and Resources (S3VI, NEN, mission design labs, make vs. buy)

April 8

Phase A, B and C Concept/Technology Development, Preliminary/
Final Design and Fabrication

1. Project Management (CM, reviews, staffing, schedule and budget)
2. HQ Process (status report, ARC and GSFC/WFF SmallSat Offices roles)
3. Systems Engineering (technical budgets, subsystems, requirements definitions)
4. Launch Opportunities (identifying launch opportunities, CSLI vs. commercial)

1. Mission Documentation (PIP, SEMP, ConOps, Requirements, etc.)
2. Risk Program (typical practices, risk matrix, reporting)
3. Analysis/Simulation vs. Testing (early interface testing, no analysis vs. basic checks vs. detailed analysis)
4. Licensing Process and Encryption (NTIA, FAA, NOAA, when encryption applies, what type of encryption)

April 15

Phase D System Assembly, Integration and Test, Launch

1. Project Management (CM, reviews, staffing, schedule and budget)
2. Systems Engineering (technical budgets, subsystems, compliance matrix)
3. I&T Plan (level of detail, relevant testing)

1. Day-in-the-life Testing (hardware on the loop, simulation environments, TVAC)
2. Ground System (government vs. commercial ground stations, ground system software, I&T GSE vs. Flight MOC/GS)
3. Data Processing System (housekeeping vs. experimental data, post-processing, science products, technology demonstration data products)

April 22

Phase E and F Operations, Sustainment and Closeout

1. Operations Management (budget, schedule, staffing)
2. Engineering (data trending, commissioning)
3. Data Processing (collection, validation, storage, and dissemination)

1. Extended Operations (funding process, licensing)
2. On-orbit Anomalies (diagnostics, patching software, troubleshooting)
3. Closure, Optimizing Impact, Assessing Outcomes (scientific and technical publications, technology and knowledge transfer, next steps, lessons learned reporting)