Mars Gravity Field From Satellite-to-Satellite Doppler Data
An accurate description of the Martian gravity field is essential to support such activities as
Mars↗
Engineering topics
Vijayaraghavan, A.
Publications and source records attributed to Vijayaraghavan, A..
Mars Gravity Field From Dual Satellite Observations
Two strategies are examined in this paper to improve the spherical harmonic representations of the Martian gravitational field. Continous observation over a week-long data arc and a 30th degree gravitational field are assumed for analysis.
Mars↗
Spacecraft navigation at Mars using earth-based and in situ radio tracking techniques
A survey of earth-based and in situ radiometric data types and results from a number of studies investigating potential radio navigation performance for spacecraft approaching/orbiting Mars and for landed spacecraft and rovers on the surface of Mars are presented. The performance of Doppler, ranging and interferometry earth-based data types involving single or multiple spacecraft is addressed. This evaluation is conducted with that of in situ data types, such as Doppler and ranging measurements between two spacecraft near Mars, or between a spacecraft and one or more surface radio beacons.
Thurman, S. W.↗
Aerocapture and aeromaneuvering at Mars
This paper presents the results of a guidance analysis study for aerocapture and aeromaneuvering at Mars. A 4-state, near-optimal, hybrid guidance algorithm is derived for applications throughout the paper. It is based on the critical assumption that Loh's function remains constant between successive guidance updates. Besides the guidance algorithm, the paper presents a performance evaluation of guidance derived from estimated or 'navigated' spacecraft state, provided by an onboard navigation subsystem for real-time applications on Mars. For the performance evaluation, the spacecraft state is augmented by such parameters as the reference atmospheric density and scale-height, the banking angle and angle of attack for spacecraft control and the accelerometer measurement model errors. Finally, the paper examines also, the influence of random uncertainties in atmospheric density on aeroassisted maneuvers, by a Monte Carlo type of simulation.
Vijayaraghavan, A.↗
Position determination of a lander and rover at Mars with Earth-based differential tracking
The presence of two or more landed or orbiting spacecraft at a planet provides the opportunity to perform extremely accurate Earth-based navigation by simultaneously acquiring Doppler data and either Same-Beam Interferometry (SBI) or ranging data. Covariance analyses were performed to investigate the accuracy with which lander and rover positions on the surface of Mars can be determined. Simultaneous acquisition of Doppler and ranging data from a lander and rover over two or more days enables determination of all components of their relative position to under 20 m. Acquiring one hour of Doppler and SBI enables three dimensional lander-rover relative position determination to better than 5 m. Twelve hours of Doppler and either SBI or ranging from a lander and a low circular or half synchronous circular Mars orbiter makes possible lander absolute position determination to tens of meters.
Kahn, R. D.↗
Position determination of spacecraft at Mars using earth-based differential tracking
The presence of two or more landed or orbiting spacecraft at a planet provides the opportunity to perform extremely accurate earth-based navigation by simultaneously acquiring Doppler data and either Same-Beam Interferometry (SBI) or ranging data. Covariance analyses were performed to investigate the accuracy with which lander and rover positions on the surface of Mars can be determined. Simultaneous acquisition of Doppler and ranging data from a lander and rover over two or more days enables determination of all components of their relative position to under 20 m. Acquiring one hour of Doppler and SBI enables three-dimensional lander-rover relative position determination to better than 5 m. Twelve hours of Doppler and either SBI or ranging from a lander and a low circular or half synchronous circular Mars orbiter makes possible lander absolute position determination to tens of meters.
Kahn, Robert D.↗
Surface navigation on Mars with a Navigation Satellite
Radiometric navigation data from the Deep Space Network (DSN) stations on the earth to transponders and other surface elements such as rovers and landers on Mars, can determine their positions to only within a kilometer in inertial space. The positional error is mostly in the z-component of the surface element parallel to the Martian spin-axis. However, with Doppler and differenced-Doppler data from a Navigation Satellite in orbit around Mars to two or more of such transponders on the planetary surface, their positions can be determined to within 15 meters (or 20 meters for one-way Doppler beacons on Mars) in inertial space. In this case, the transponders (or other vehicles) on Mars need not even be capable of directly communicating to the earth. When the Navigation Satellite data is complemented by radiometric observations from the DSN stations also, directly to the surface elements on Mars, their positions can be determined to within 3 meters in inertial space. The relative positions of such surface elements on Mars (relative to one another) in Mars-fixed coordinates, however, can be determined to within 5 meters from simply range and Doppler data from the DSN stations to the surface elements. These results are obtained from covariance studies assuming X-band data noise levels and data-arcs not exceeding 10 days. They are significant in the planning and deployment of a Mars-based navigation network necessary to support real-time operations during critical phases of manned exploration of Mars.
Vijayaraghavan, A.↗
Titan Probe navigation analysis
In the proposed Cassini mission, a combined Saturn Orbiter/Titan Probe spacecraft will be launched from the Space Shuttle to arrive at Saturn around 2002, by means of a delta-VEGA trajectory. After Saturn-orbit insertion and a pericrone raise maneuver, the probe will be released to enter the Titan atmosphere and impact onto its surface. During its descent phase and impact onto Titan, the probe will maintain radio contact with the orbiter. Since the Titan-probe experimental phase lasts for only about four hours, probe-orbiter geometry and probe-delivery accuracy are critical to successful completion of this part of the mission. From a preliminary navigation analysis for probe delivery accuracy, it seems feasible to deliver the probe within 50 km (1-sigma value) of the desired aim-point in the Titan B-plane. The covariance study, however, clearly indicates the need for optical data, in addition to radio metric data. A Monte Carlo study indicates that a Delta-V capability of 98 m/sec for trajectory correction maneuvers will be sufficient to cover 99 percent of all contingencies during the segment from Saturn-orbit insertion to Titan-probe release.
Vijayaraghavan, A.↗
An analytic solution for the orbital perturbations of the Venus Radar Mapper due to gravitational harmonics
Hill's variational equations are solved analytically for the orbital perturbations of a spacecraft nominally in an elliptic orbit around a non-spherical body. The rotation of the central planet about its spin-axis is not considered in the analysis. The perturbations are restricted to the planetary gravitational harmonics only. An extremely simple algorithm is derived to transform the spherical harmonic potentials to the orbital coordinate system, and the resulting accelerations are shown to be simply trigonometric functions of the true anomaly. With the principal matrix solution for the differential equations of the adjoint system given in closed form, the orthogonality of the trigonometric functions makes it possible to obtain an analytic solution for the non-homogeneous problem, at intervals of 2 pi in true anomaly. The solution for orbital perturbations can be extended over several revolutions by applying well-known results from Floquet's theory. The technique is demonstrated with results presented on the spacecraft periapsis altitude for the forthcoming Venus Radar Mapper Mission.
Vijayaraghavan, A.↗
Electrostatic disturbance forces on a three-axis drag-free sensor
Previously cited in issue 08, p. 1192, Accession no. A82-22035
Vijayaraghavan, A.↗
Electrostatic disturbance forces on a 3-axis drag-free sensor
The electrostatic analysis of a multiple-capacitance 3-axis drag-free sensor is presented in this paper. The instrument consists of a proof-mass (a dense metallic ball) floating freely inside a spherical cavity enclosed by the sensor plates and the shield. Since the ball and the cavity are not necessarily concentric, the problem in three-dimensional potential theory for electrostatics is solved by the method of boundary perturbations and specifically in terms of spherical harmonics. The capacitance outputs of the instrument and the electrostatic forces acting on the system are derived as non-linear functions of the ball position, ball charge and the sensor plate potentials. The instrument sensitivity and cross-coupling effects are discussed. The analysis may also be useful for electrostatic gyros and suspensions.
Hagstrom, T.↗
Noise shielding by a hot subsonic jet
An analysis is conducted of the shielding of the noise emitted by a high speed round jet by a hot, subsonic, semicircular jet. A plane wave front in the primary jet is resolved into elementary plane waves which undergo multiple reflections at the jet boundaries of the primary and the shielding jets. The jet boundaries are idealized to be vortex sheets. The far field sound is evaluated asymptotically by a superposition of the waves that penetrate the shielding jet. The angular directivities are plotted for several values of jet temperature and velocity to examine the effectiveness of shielding by the semicircular jet layer.
Vijayaraghavan, A.↗
Transmission of high frequency sound waves through a slug flow jet
An analysis has been performed of sound waves which propagate in a pipe with gas flow. At the pipe exit these waves are partially reflected and the remainder are diffracted. The analysis is carried out by resolving the sound at the exit into its Fourier components and then continuing the solution, which is a combination of elementary plane waves, beyond the exit. These waves are of two types: homogeneous waves which propagate to infinity, and inhomogeneous waves with complex wave numbers which decay. The reflected waves are evaluated from the inhomogeneous waves. At the boundary of the jet, refraction of the elementary plane waves is accounted for and the far field sound is evaluated by the method of stationary phase. Comparisons of the theoretical calculations are made with experimental results and with calculations of other theories.
Parthasarathy, S. P.↗
Sound attenuation by liners in a blown flap environment
Sound propagation through a hot wall-jet flow over an absorbing wall is studied. The radiated sound field subject to the influence of flow convection and refraction is evaluated, and the nature of acoustic attenuation attributable to a sound absorbing liner is determined. Using a two-dimensional model, the noise field under the aircraft is also determined, and a slug-flow model is used to describe the influence of flow, density, and temperature on acoustic sources in jets. Results show significant changes in the radiated source due to the interference phenomenon, and a good absorber has the potential of changing the sound pressure range of variation to unity. A liner is also found to increase or decrease sound pressure, depending on the frequency.
Parthasarathy, S. P.↗