Deep Space Navigation for the BioSentinel CubeSat Science Orbit

Abstract

BioSentinel is a 6U CubeSat active in heliocentric orbit, as of April 2024. The spacecraft was launched aboard the first SLS flight as part of the Artemis-I campaign in November 2022. After successful separation from the upper stage of SLS, it performed a lunar flyby which provided the necessary energy to achieve an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit. This paper includes a description of the final science orbit as well as its evolution, the techniques and procedures utilized to perform the orbit determination and a description of the overall navigation campaign, with emphasis on the heliocentric orbit operations.