(1) Category: [AS07] Space Telescopes and Instruments V   
Subcategory: Next generation space telescope (NGST)

Title: An Expert Assistant System to Support the General Observer Program
for NGST

Authors: Sandy Grosvenor, Julie Breed, Lisa Dallas, Anuradha Koratkar

Abstract:  

One of the manually intensive efforts of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
Operations is the specification and validation of the detailed proposals
for scientists observing with the Telescope. In order to meet the
operational cost targets for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST),
this process needs to be dramatically less time consuming and less costly.
We are prototyping a new proposal development system, the Scientist's
Expert Assistant (SEA), using a combination of artificial intelligence and
user interface techniques to reduce the time and effort involved for both
scientists and the Telescope operations staff

Goddard's Data Systems Technology Division is working with the Space
Telescope Science Institute to explore SEA alternatives, using an iterative
prototype-review-revise cycle. We will verify the usefulness of artificial
intelligence to painlessly guide a scientist to his or her desired
observation specification. We further examine several potential user
interface paradigms and explore data visualization schemes to see which
techniques are more intuitive. We evaluate the applicability of several
different AI techniques including rule-based expert systems, and case-based
reasoning to the different components of the proposal process. 

Our theories will be validated using HST's Advanced Camera for Surveys
(ACS) instrument (schedule for installation in 1999) as a live test
instrument. Having an operational test-bed will ensure the most realistic
feedback possible for the prototyping cycle. In addition, when the
instruments for NGST are better defined, the SEA will already be a proven
platform that simply needs adapting to NGST specific instruments.