Engineering topics

Concha, Marco

Publications and source records attributed to Concha, Marco.

6 records

NASA NTRS2017

GPS Receiver On-Orbit Performance for the GOES-R Spacecraft

This paper evaluates the on-orbit performance of the first civilian operational use of a Global Positioning System Receiver (GPSR) at a geostationary orbit (GEO). The GPSR is on-board the newly launched Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R). GOES-R is the first of four next generation GEO weather satellites for NOAA, now in orbit GOES-R is formally identified as GOES-16. Among the pioneering technologies required to support its improved spatial, spectral and temporal resolution is a GPSR. The GOES-16 GPSR system is a new design that was mission critical and therefore received appropriate scrutiny. As ground testing of a GPSR for GEO can only be done by simulations with numerous assumptions and approximations regarding the current GPS constellation, this paper reveals what performance can be achieved in using on orbit data. Extremely accurate orbital position is achieved using GPS navigation at GEO. Performance results are shown demonstrating compliance with the1007575 meter and 6 cms radial/in-track/cross-track orbital position and velocity accuracy requirements of GOES-16. The aforementioned compliance includes station-keeping and momentum management maneuvers, contributing to no observational outages. This performance is achieved by a completely new system design consisting of a unique L1 GEOantenna, low-noise amplifier (LNA) assembly and a 12 channel GPSR capable of tracking the edge of the main beam and the side lobes of the GPS L1 signals. This paper presents the definitive answer that the GOES-16 GPSR solution exceeds all performance requirements tracking up to 12 satellites and achieving excellent carrier-to-noise density (C/N0). Additionally, these performance results show the practicality of this approach. This paper makes it clear that all future GEO Satellites should consider the addition of a GPSR in their spacecraft design, otherwise they may be sacrificing spacecraft capabilities and accuracy along with incurring increased and continual demand on ground support.

GEO GPS↗

NASA NTRS2017

The GOES In-Situ Geomagnetism Experiment Reimagined

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) carry several instruments each with its own requirements. Because accommodating all of them is difficult, there is interest in putting some on their own smaller platforms. The simplest instruments are the magnetometers. These are small and have low communication, attitude control and cleanliness requirements. Getting on-station and operating in close proximity with another satellite, however, requires significant propulsion capabilities. This paper describes a CubeSat mission that goes from geo-transfer to geostationary orbit and operates next to a GOES spacecraft. Requirements, a notional design and performance predictions are provided.

geomagnetism↗

NASA NTRS1998

NanoSat constellation mission design

The NanoSat constellation concept mission proposes simultaneous operation of multiple swarms of as many as 22 identical 10 kg spacecraft per swarm. The various orbits in a NanoSat swarm vary from 3x5 to 3x42 R(sub e) in geometry. In this report the unique flight dynamics issues of this constellation satellite mission design are addressed. Studies include orbit design, orbit determination, and error analysis. A preliminary survey determined the orbital parameters that would yield a 100 minute shadow condition maximum while providing adequate ground station access for three ground stations.

Concha, Marco↗

NASA NTRS1998

Lunar Prospector Orbit Determination Results

The orbit support for Lunar Prospector (LP) consists of three main areas: (1) cislunar orbit determination, (2) rapid maneuver assessment using Doppler residuals, and (3) routine mapping orbit determination. The cislunar phase consisted of two trajectory correction maneuvers during the translunar cruise followed by three lunar orbit insertion burns. This paper will detail the cislunar orbit determination accuracy and the real-time assessment of the cislunar trajectory correction and lunar orbit insertion maneuvers. The non-spherical gravity model of the Moon is the primary influence on the mapping orbit determination accuracy. During the first two months of the mission, the GLGM-2 lunar potential model was used. After one month in the mapping orbit, a new potential model was developed that incorporated LP Doppler data. This paper will compare and contrast the mapping orbit determination accuracy using these two models. LP orbit support also includes a new enhancement - a web page to disseminate all definitive and predictive trajectory and mission planning information. The web site provides definitive mapping orbit ephemerides including moon latitude and longitude, and four week predictive products including: ephemeris, moon latitude/longitude, earth shadow, moon shadow, and ground station view periods. This paper will discuss the specifics of this web site.

Beckman, Mark↗

NASA NTRS1998

NanoSat Constellation Mission Design

The NanoSat constellation concept mission proposes simultaneous operation of multiple swarms of as many as 22 identical 10 kg spacecraft per swarm. The various orbits in a NanoSat swarm vary from 3x12 to 3x42 R(sub e) in geometry. In this report the unique flight dynamics issues of this constellation satellite mission design are addressed. Studies include orbit design, orbit determination, and error analysis. A preliminary survey determined the orbital parameters that would limit the maximum shadow condition while providing adequate ground station access for three ground stations.

Concha, Marco↗

NASA NTRS1992

Accuracy of the TRIA3 thick shell element

The accuracy of the new TRIA3 thick shell element is assessed via comparison with a theoretical solution for thick homogeneous and honeycomb flat simply supported plates under the action of a uniform pressure load. The theoretical thick plate solution is based on the theory developed by Reissner and includes the effects of transverse shear flexibility which are not included in the thin plate solutions based on Kirchoff plate theory. In addition, the TRIA3 is assessed using a set of finite element test problems developed by the MacNeal-Schwendler Corp. (MSC). Comparison of the COSMIC TRIA3 element as well as those from MSC and Universal Analytics Inc. (UAI) for these problems is presented. The current COSMIC TRIA3 element is shown to have excellent comparison with both the theoretical solutions and also those from the two commercial versions of NASTRAN with which it is compared.

Case, William R.↗