Advanced Communications, Navigation and Technology Concepts for a Mars 2018 Orbiter
No abstract available
communications↗
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High Precision Ranging and Range-Rate Measurements over Free-Space-Laser Communication Link
We present a high-precision ranging and range-rate measurement system via an optical-ranging or combined ranging-communication link. A complete bench-top optical communication system was built. It included a ground terminal and a space terminal. Ranging and range rate tests were conducted in two configurations. In the communication configuration with 622 data rate, we achieved a two-way range-rate error of 2 microns/s, or a modified Allan deviation of 9 x 10 (exp -15) with 10 second averaging time. Ranging and range-rate as a function of Bit Error Rate of the communication link is reported. They are not sensitive to the link error rate. In the single-frequency amplitude modulation mode, we report a two-way range rate error of 0.8 microns/s, or a modified Allan deviation of 2.6 x 10 (exp -15) with 10 second averaging time. We identified the major noise sources in the current system as the transmitter modulation injected noise and receiver electronics generated noise. A new improved system will be constructed to further improve the system performance for both operating modes.
optical navigation↗
Navigation Using Deep-Space Optical Communication Systems
No abstract available
McCandless, Sarah Elizabeth↗
NASA Parts & Packaging Program Commercial Miniature LiDAR Survey and Test Evaluation
Determine if lower priced Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) LiDARs could be viable for spaceflight missions by picking some representative examples and performing technology maturation environmental testing.
Spaceflight↗
Optoelectronics for Space Flight Instruments
The Photonics group top level processes regarding development and qualification of space flight hardware for optoelectronic components and optical systems along with our contributions and successes with LIDAR systems, space flight reliability heritage, and our testing capabilities are conveyed with this power point presentation.
Spaceflight↗
The Deep Space 1 Autonomous Navigation System: A Post-Flight Analysis
NASA's New Millenium Program consists of a series of missions whose primary purpose is to demonstrate the feasibility of new technologies for space flight.
Deep↗
Robust Trajectory Design for Rendezvous in a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit
Future NASA Artemis missions will require complex docking plans between the Orion capsule and Lunar Gateway that meet predetermined safety constraints while minimizing fuel usage and state uncertainty at rendezvous. In this paper, linear covariance analysis is applied to a first order relative form of Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit dynamics to determine the nominal trajectories and state dispersions associated with various maneuver profiles in the Sun-referenced Local Vertical Local Horizontal reference frame of the lunar Gateway. These maneuver profiles are optimized using a particle swarm optimizer and direct search algorithm to find trajectories that satisfy approach corridor, free drift, velocity magnitude, under-burn, and maneuver transfer time safety constraints to 3-sigma certainty.
Linear Covariance Analysis↗
CCD sensors for interplanetary spacecraft navigation and pointing control
The applications of practical optical image sensing CCDs to interplanetary spacecraft precision science payload delivery are discussed. The increasing demand for precision and flexibility in spacecraft for proposed new missions is forcing a transition to autonomous onboard navigation and pointing control. Onboard processing of video data is a crucial element in this transition and is made possible by CCD imagers and microprocessors. The pending Halley's comet close flyby is used as an example to examine details of the sensor design and the data processing which will meet the requirements. Target body centerfinding for optical navigation, target body tracking signal processing, and CCD sensor heads are examined, and flow charts and block diagrams are given for each.
Eisenman, A. R.↗
Passive navigation using image irradiance tracking
Rotorcraft operating at low altitudes require navigational schemes for detecting terrain and obstacles. Due to the nature of the missions to be accomplished and available power onboard, a passive navigation scheme is desirable in this situation. The development of a passive navigation scheme using optical image sequences and vehicle motion variables from an onboard inertial navigation scheme is described. This approach combines the geometric properties of perspective projection and a feedback irradiance tracking scheme at each pixel in the image to determine the range to various objects within the field-of-view. Derivation of the numerical algorithm and simulation results are given. Due to the feedback nature of the implementation, the computational scheme is robust. Other applications of the proposed approach include navigation for autonomous planetary rovers and telerobots.
Menon, P. K. A.↗
Experiment D009: Simple navigation
Space position-fixing techniques have been investigated by collecting data on the observable phenomena of space flight that could be used to solve the problem of autonomous navigation by the use of optical data and manual computations to calculate the position of a spacecraft. After completion of the developmental and test phases, the product of the experiment would be a manual-optical technique of orbital space navigation that could be used as a backup to onboard and ground-based spacecraft-navigation systems.
Silva, R. M.↗
Interplanetary orbit determination
A general description of the Viking interplanetary orbit determination activity extending from launch to Mars encounter is given. The emphasis is on the technical fundamentals of the problem, basic strategies and data types used, quantitative results, and specific conclusions derived from the inflight experience. Special attention is given to the use of the spacecraft-based optical measurements and their first application as a principal navigational data type for an interplanetary mission. The optical-based orbit determination, in fact, was the primary contributor to the exceptional interplanetary navigation accuracy experienced by both Viking missions. The Viking application of optical orbit determination relied in large part on the technology developed and demonstrated by the Mariner 9 Optical Navigation Demonstration.
Rourke, K. H.↗
Altair Navigation During Trans-Lunar Cruise, Lunar Orbit, Descent and Landing
The Altair lunar lander navigation system is driven by a set of requirements that not only specify a need to land within 100 m of a designated spot on the Moon, but also be capable of a safe return to an orbiting Orion capsule in the event of loss of Earth ground support. These requirements lead to the need for a robust and capable on-board navigation system that works in conjunction with an Earth ground navigation system that uses primarily ground-based radiometric tracking. The resulting system relies heavily on combining a multiplicity of data types including navigation state updates from the ground based navigation system, passive optical imaging from a gimbaled camera, a stable inertial measurement unit, and a capable radar altimeter and velocimeter. The focus of this paper is on navigation performance during the trans-lunar cruise, lunar orbit, and descent/landing mission phases with the goal of characterizing knowledge and delivery errors to key mission events, bound the statistical delta V costs for executing the mission, as well as the determine the landing dispersions due to navigation. This study examines the nominal performance that can be obtained using the current best estimate of the vehicle, sensor, and environment models. Performance of the system under a variety sensor outages and parametric trades is also examined.
lunar lander↗
Effects of Optical Artifacts in a Laser-Based Spacecraft Navigation Sensor
Testing of the Advanced Video Guidance Sensor (AVGS) used for proximity operations navigation on the Orbital Express ASTRO spacecraft exposed several unanticipated imaging system artifacts and aberrations that required correction to meet critical navigation performance requirements. Mitigation actions are described for a number of system error sources, including lens aberration, optical train misalignment, laser speckle, target image defects, and detector nonlinearity/noise characteristics. Sensor test requirements and protocols are described, along with a summary of test results from sensor confidence tests and system performance testing.
LeCroy, Jerry E.↗
Effects of Optical Artifacts in a Laser-Based Spacecraft Navigation Sensor
Testing of the Advanced Video Guidance Sensor (AVGS) used for proximity operations navigation on the Orbital Express ASTRO spacecraft exposed several unanticipated imaging system artifacts and aberrations that required correction to meet critical navigation performance requirements. Mitigation actions are described for a number of system error sources, including lens aberration, optical train misalignment, laser speckle, target image defects, and detector nonlinearity/noise characteristics. Sensor test requirements and protocols are described, along with a summary of test results from sensor confidence tests and system performance testing.
LeCroy, Jerry E.↗
Effects of Optical Artifacts in a Laser-Based Spacecraft Navigation Sensor
Testing Of the Advanced Video Guidance Sensor (AVGS) used for proximity operations navigation on the Orbital Express ASTRO spacecraft exposed several unanticipated imaging system artifacts and aberrations that required correction, to meet critical navigation performance requirements. Mitigation actions are described for a number of system error sources, including lens aberration, optical train misalignment, laser speckle, target image defects, and detector nonlinearity/noise characteristics. Sensor test requirements and protocols are described, along with a summary ,of test results from sensor confidence tests and system performance testing.
LeCroy, Jerry E.↗
Voyager 2 navigation to Uranus and Neptune
Key navigation issues and capabilities relating to the Voyager 2 Uranus/Neptune mission are presented. Predicted navigation performance at each encounter body (Uranus, Neptune, and Triton) is examined relative to mission navigation requirements and science return capabilities. Orbit determination accuracies are presented for several radio data types and for combinations of radio data with two optical data types. Maneuver strategies designed to accommodate the orbit determination results and satisfy mission navigation requirements are examined. Possible alternate aimpoints and contingency strategies are developed for situations of unexpected loss of propellant or optical navigation capability.
Van Allen, R. E.↗
COBALT: Development of a Platform to Flight Test Lander GN&C Technologies on Suborbital Rockets
The NASA COBALT Project (CoOperative Blending of Autonomous Landing Technologies) is developing and integrating new precision-landing Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C) technologies, along with developing a terrestrial fight-test platform for Technology Readiness Level (TRL) maturation. The current technologies include a third- generation Navigation Doppler Lidar (NDL) sensor for ultra-precise velocity and line- of-site (LOS) range measurements, and the Lander Vision System (LVS) that provides passive-optical Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) estimates of map-relative position. The COBALT platform is self contained and includes the NDL and LVS sensors, blending filter, a custom compute element, power unit, and communication system. The platform incorporates a structural frame that has been designed to integrate with the payload frame onboard the new Masten Xodiac vertical take-o, vertical landing (VTVL) terrestrial rocket vehicle. Ground integration and testing is underway, and terrestrial fight testing onboard Xodiac is planned for 2017 with two flight campaigns: one open-loop and one closed-loop.
Carson, John M., III↗
Telecommunications and navigation systems design for manned Mars exploration missions
This paper discusses typical manned Mars exploration needs for telecommunications, including preliminary navigation support functions. It is a brief progress report on an ongoing study program within the current NASA JPL Deep Space Network (DSN) activities. A typical Mars exploration case is defined, and support approaches comparing microwave and optical frequency performance for both local in situ and Mars-earth links are described. Optical telecommunication and navigation technology development opportunities in a Mars exploration program are also identified. A local Mars system telecommunication relay and navigation capability for service support of all Mars missions has been proposed as part of an overall solar system communications network. The effects of light-time delay and occultations on real-time mission decision-making are discussed; the availability of increased local mass data storage may be more important than increasing peak data rates to earth. The long-term frequency use plan will most likely include a mix of microwave, millimeter-wave and optical link capabilities to meet a variety of deep space mission needs.
Hall, Justin R.↗