Where is my coverage? Using explainable automated scheduling to inform mission design of an Earth-observing constellation

The Surface Deformation and Change Mission Architec- ture Study (SDC) aims at designing the next synthetic aper- ture radar mission to measure geophysical properties of the Earth’s land surfaces, focusing on surface deformation and disruptive change. Multiple mission architectures are eval- uated in a rigorous selection process. One step of this pro- cess is the generation of realistic mission schedules that are used to compute the science performance of each architec- ture. For that purpose, we adapt and use CLASP, an auto- mated scheduling software used in the design and operations of many missions. We describe the specific constraints linked with the SDC study. We highlight the challenges with using automated scheduling software to create explainable plans that the science team can understand and trust. We also de- tail current and planned changes to the scheduling software for that purpose.