CPS: Frontier: Software-Defined Nanosatellite Constellations: The Foundation of Future Space-Based Cyber-physical Systems

随着发射服务的激增和卫星变得更小、更便宜、更有能力，网络物理系统进入太空的范围正在呈指数级增长。与过去昂贵的卫星不同，不久的将来将有数千颗廉价的纳米卫星组成的星座。纳米卫星正变得能够支持天基网络物理应用，包括国防、智能城市、农业、基础设施、气候科学和搜救。不幸的是，今天的纳米卫星就像过去的单片卫星一样，人工操作成本很高，阻碍了纳米卫星在这些重要的网络物理系统应用中的潜力的实现。该项目为纳米卫星星座中的天基数字物理系统设想了一种新的运行模式，称为“软件定义的纳米卫星星座”，它释放了它们的潜力。软件定义的星座是一组纳米卫星，能够自主感知环境，处理数据，并合作规划和采取机械行动。该项目通过横跨计算机系统、控制、规划、驱动、机器学习和通信的计算机物理系统研究来实现这一愿景。该项目将最终推出一个软件定义的星座试验台，它实现了几个天基应用程序，展示了这些社会重要的能力和应用程序，并为其他网络物理系统研究人员提供了宝贵的资源。这个CPS前沿项目正在将纳米卫星星座建立为复杂的、多租户的天基网络物理系统应用平台。这项工作是跨学科的，跨越控制、ML、通信、系统和硬件。该项目使星座变得自主，并配备了在轨道上高效计算的设备。在轨计算将星座级卫星控制和驱动视为对独特的纳米卫星资源的资源管理：传感器数据、带宽、能量和计算。在轨机器学习技术将联邦学习引入星座，创建了一个自主的轨道学习系统。该项目的新通信技术从通信的每一位中提取最大信息，结合微弱信号，通常完全避免通信。该项目通过在轨基础设施和试验台展示了该项目的价值，这些基础设施和试验台为未来的天基网络物理系统研究形成了一个开放平台。该项目将在网络物理和空间系统社区内外对社会、工业和教育产生广泛的、变革性的影响。软件定义的纳米卫星星座创造了一个具有成本效益的天基应用行业。该项目消除了空间障碍，使工业能够开发基于空间的应用程序。该项目围绕天基网络物理系统创建了一个新的研究领域，促进了研究和教育。该项目包括从中学到研究生的雄心勃勃的教育活动。该项目团队将通过空间系统研究实习来指导城市公立学校的初中生和高中生。该项目团队将让本科生和研究生参与研究指导和新课程。拟议的外展活动将通过艺术家驻场计划、研究社区建设和公共/学术/私人合作伙伴关系广泛地吸引社会参与。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The reach of cyber-physical systems into space is growing exponentially, as launch services proliferate and satellites have become small, cheap, and capable. Unlike expensive satellites of the past, the near future promises constellations of thousands of inexpensive nanosatellites. Nanosatellites are becoming capable of supporting space-based cyber-physical applications, including defense, smart cities, agriculture, & infrastructure, climate science, and search & rescue. Unfortunately, nanosatellites today operate like monolithic satellites of the past, manually operated at high cost, impeding the realization of the potential of nanosatellites for these important cyber-physical systems applications. This project envisions a new operating model for space-based cyber-physical systems in nanosatellite constellations called a "software-defined nanosatellite constellation", which unleashes their potential. A software-defined constellation is a collection of nanosatellites capable of autonomously sensing the environment, processing data, and cooperatively planning and taking mechanical actions. The project realizes this vision through cross-cutting cyber-physical systems research spanning computer systems, control, planning, actuation, machine learning, and communications. This project will culminate in the launch of a software-defined constellation testbed that implements several space-based applications, demonstrating these societally important capabilities and applications, and functioning as a valuable resource for other cyber-physical systems researchers.This CPS Frontier project is establishing nanosatellite constellations as sophisticated, multi-tenant platforms for space-based cyber-physical systems applications. The work is interdisciplinary, spanning controls, ML, communications, systems, and hardware. The project makes constellations autonomous and equipped to compute efficiently on orbit. On-orbit computing treats constellation-level satellite control and actuation as resource management for unique nanosatellite resources: sensor data, bandwidth, energy, and computing. On-orbit machine learning techniques bring federated learning to the constellation, creating an autonomous orbital learning system. The project’s new communication techniques extract maximum information from each bit communicated, combining weak signals and often avoiding communication altogether. The project demonstrates the project’s value with on-orbit infrastructure and testbeds that form an open platform for future space-based cyber-physical systems research. The project will have a broad, transformative impact on society, industry, and education, within and beyond the cyber-physical and space systems communities. Software-defined nanosatellite constellations create an industry of cost-effective space-based applications. The project eliminates barriers to space, enabling industry to develop space-based applications. The project creates a new field of research around space-based cyber-physical systems fostering research and education. This project includes ambitious education activities from middle school to post-graduate levels. The project team will mentor middle schoolers and high schoolers from urban public schools through space systems research internships. The project team will involve undergraduates and graduate students in research mentoring and new curricula. The proposed outreach activities will engage society broadly via artist-in-residence programs, research community-building, and public/academic/private partnerships.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.