Wireless Compose - Communication and positioning network in ISS and Antarctic Greenhouse

Abstract

This paper describes the efforts required for the precursor mission Wireless Compose (WICO), a sensing and positioning experiment, which is operated in the Columbus module of the International Space Station (ISS). Moreover, a Ground Reference Model is deployed in the Evolution & Design of Environmentally closed Nutrion-Sources (EDEN) laboratory in Antarctica by German Aerospace Centre (DLR). It evaluates also agriculture/vertical farming concepts in human spaceflight. WICOs main objective is the deployment of a wireless sensor network for sensor data acquisition and the demonstration of positioning capabilities on the ISS. The wireless sensor network (WSN) is based on impulse radio - ultra wideband (IR-UWB) in the physical layer, which also allows time-of-flight measurements between two special locations. The utilization of wireless technologies in space habitats provides a great potential for several kinds of applications, decreasing the harness complexity and providing easier access for installation as well as maintenance tasks. For this reason, WICO also uses energy harvesting from internal light sources to drive the sensor modules thus allowing maintenance-free operation. The paper describes the hardware design, the operational concept and aspects of applied quality and safety requirements for Human Spaceflight. Finally, the status is presented with a focus on the analysis of different applications on Earth and in space for the implementation of wireless sensor networks in order to help and to identify new applications for future space missions.