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R.F. Malina (1)
1) Center for EUV Astrophysics, 2150 Kittredge Street, University
of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
Since 1994 the NASA Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer Observatory has operated a Testbed program to test, evaluate and use new operations technologies which allow the satellite to be operated at lower cost. The Testbed also provides a test environment where methodologies and technologies of interest to other programs can be evaluated in an actual mission operations environment. Key achievements have been the reengineering of the EUVE Science Operations Center to allow migration from around the clock operation to lights out operation; this was achieved by inserting commercially available artificial intelligence software. In 1996, following a proposal from the University of California, NASA decided to outsource, or transfer, all aspects of Observatory management and spacecraft operations to the University. NASA has set three goals for this outsourcing: first that EUVE be operated in a way by the University which would serve as one model for future outsourcing of science satellite outsourcings that will be carried out by NASA to University groups; second that the EUVE Observatory carry out education activities to involve students at the University, and use EUVE for education outreach programs to secondary schools; and third that the EUVE observatory continue to be used as a Testbed for innovative operations technologies of interest to EUVE and other missions. We describe details of the EUVE Testbed program and outsourcing, identifying lessons learned that may be of interest to other missions.
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