NASA's X2000 program—An institutional approach to enabling smaller spacecraft

The number of NASA science missions per year is increasing from less than one to more than six. Individual mission budgets are smaller, though, so they can no longer afford dedicated technology developments. As a result, NASA formed the X2000 Program. X2000 is divided into a set of “deliveries” that provide basic avionics, power, communications, and software for future missions. X2000 First Delivery, to be completed in 2001, will provide a one MRAD-tolerant flight computer, power switching electronics, efficient radioisotope power source, and a transponder with services at 8.4 GHz and 32 GHz bands. The X2000 Second Delivery, to be completed around 2003, will enable complete spacecraft of 10–50 kg. Capabilities delivered by X2000 will be commercialized within the US so they will be available to others. Although the immediate customers for X2000 are deep space missions, most capabilities are generic in nature and will be equally applicable to Earth Observation missions.