Relative Terrain Imaging Navigation for the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM)
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NEXT Ion Propulsion System Risk Mitigation Tests in Support of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test Mission
Risk mitigation tests have been conducted by the NASA Glenn Research Center and The Aerospace Corporation in support of the DART Mission. The tests focused on NEXT performance characterizations intended to ensure its operations and characteristics are compatible with the DART mission operations, and to assist in the definition of the propulsion system. Tests were performed at the Aerospace Corporation and they involved: flow sensitivity-analyses, steady-state performance characterizations, and measurements of thruster erosion. The tests also involved defining, demonstrating, verifying, and evaluating the start-up sequences and a beam current regulation algorithm consistent with DART mission requirements. It was found that NEXT thruster operations are compatible with the proposed relaxation of flow control ranges for ignition and for steady-state operation.
Thomas, Robert E.↗
NEXT Single String Integration Tests in Support of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test Mission
A system integration test has been performed utilizing a prototype model NEXT ion thruster, an engineering model power processing unit, and a laboratory model command and data handling system. The objectives of the test were to: a) verify that the integrated system meets performance requirements, b) demonstrate that the integrated system is functional across the anticipated thermal, power processor, and Xe propellant ranges for the DART mission, and to c) evaluate fault detection and operation of the command and data handling system. Measurements made during this test included: thruster performance, PPU input voltages, PPU electrical and thermal telemetry, software states, and fault flags. Additionally, a far-field electrostatic probe diagnostic was used to infer relative changes in the thrust vector across the various propellant flow splits. This manuscript presents the results of these tests, which include integrated ion propulsion system demonstrations of performance, details on the execution of DART flight algorithms, and software fault handling.
Thomas, Robert E.↗
NEXT Single String Integration Tests in Support of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test Mission
A system integration test has been performed utilizing a prototype model NEXT ion thruster, an engineering model power processing unit, and a laboratory model command and data handling system. The objectives of the test were to: a) verify that the integrated system meets performance requirements, b) demonstrate that the integrated system is functional across the anticipated thermal, power processor, and Xe propellant ranges for the DART mission, and to c) evaluate fault detection and operation of the command and data handling system. Measurements made during this test included: thruster performance, PPU input voltages, PPU electrical and thermal telemetry, software states, and fault flags. Additionally, a far-field electrostatic probe diagnostic was used to infer relative changes in the thrust vector across the various propellant flow splits. This manuscript presents the results of these tests, which include integrated ion propulsion system demonstrations of performance, details on the execution of DART flight algorithms, and software fault handling.
Thomas, Robert↗
NEXT Ion Propulsion System Risk Mitigation Tests in Support of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test Mission
Risk mitigation tests have been conducted by the NASA Glenn Research Center and The Aerospace Corporation in support of the DART Mission. The tests focused on NEXT performance characterizations intended to ensure its operations and characteristics are compatible with the DART mission operations, and to assist in the definition of the propulsion system. Tests were performed at the Aerospace Corporation and they involved: flow sensitivity-analyses, steady-state performance characterizations, and measurements of thruster erosion. The tests also involved defining, demonstrating, verifying, and evaluating the start-up sequences and a beam current regulation algorithm consistent with DART mission requirements. It was found that NEXT thruster operations are compatible with the proposed relaxation of flow control ranges for ignition and for steady-state operation.
Thomas, Robert E.↗
NEXT Ion Propulsion System Risk Mitigation Tests in Support of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test Mission
Risk mitigation tests have been conducted by the NASA Glenn Research Center and The Aerospace Corporation in support of the DART Mission. The tests focused on NEXT performance characterizations intended to ensure its operations and characteristics are compatible with the DART mission operations, and to assist in the definition of the propulsion system. Tests were performed at the Aerospace Corporation and they involved: flow sensitivity-analyses, steady-state performance characterizations, and measurements of thruster erosion. The tests also involved defining, demonstrating, verifying, and evaluating the start-up sequences and a beam current regulation algorithm consistent with DART mission requirements. It was found that NEXT thruster operations are compatible with the proposed relaxation of flow control ranges for ignition and for steady-state operation.
Thomas, Robert E.↗
Potential Mission Scenarios Post Asteroid Crewed Mission
A deep-space mission has been proposed to identify and redirect an asteroid to a distant retrograde orbit around the moon, and explore it by sending a crew using the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM), which represents the third segment of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), could be performed on EM-3 or EM-4 depending on asteroid return date. Recent NASA studies have raised questions on how we could progress from current Human Space Flight (HSF) efforts to longer term human exploration of Mars. This paper will describe the benefits of execution of the ARM as the initial stepping stone towards Mars exploration, and how the capabilities required to send humans to Mars could be built upon those developed for the asteroid mission. A series of potential interim missions aimed at developing such capabilities will be described, and the feasibility of such mission manifest will be discussed. Options for the asteroid crewed mission will also be addressed, including crew size and mission duration.
Lopez, Pedro, Jr.↗
Impact of Utilizing Photos and Deimos as Waypoints for Mars Human Surface Missions
Phobos and Deimos, the moons of Mars, are interesting exploration destinations that offer extensibility of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) technologies. Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP), asteroid rendezvous and docking, and surface operations can be used to land on and explore the moons of Mars. The close Mars vicinity of Phobos and Deimos warrant examining them as waypoints, or intermediate staging orbits, for Mars surface missions. This paper outlines the analysis performed to determine the mass impact of using the moons of Mars both as an intermediate staging point for exploration as well as for in-situ recourse utilization, namely propellant, to determine if the moons are viable options to include in the broader Mars surface exploration architecture.
Cianciolo, Alicia D.↗
NASA's Automated Rendezvous and Docking/Capture Sensor Development and Its Applicability to the GER
This paper will address how a common Automated Rendezvous and Docking/Capture (AR&D/C) sensor suite can support Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) missions, and discuss how the model of common capability development to support multiple missions can enable system capability level partnerships and further GER objectives. NASA has initiated efforts to develop AR&D/C sensors, that are directly applicable to GER. NASA needs AR&D/C sensors for both the robotic and crewed segments of the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM). NASA recently conducted a commonality assessment of the concept of operations for the robotic Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) and the crewed mission segment using the Orion crew vehicle. The commonality assessment also considered several future exploration and science missions requiring an AR&D/C capability. Missions considered were asteroid sample return, satellite servicing, and planetary entry, descent, and landing. This assessment determined that a common sensor suite consisting of one or more visible wavelength cameras, a three-dimensional LIDAR along with long-wavelength infrared cameras for robustness and situational awareness could be used on each mission to eliminate the cost of multiple sensor developments and qualifications. By choosing sensor parameters at build time instead of at design time and, without having to requalify flight hardware, a specific mission can design overlapping bearing, range, relative attitude, and position measurement availability to suit their mission requirements with minimal nonrecurring engineering costs. The resulting common sensor specification provides the union of all performance requirements for each mission and represents an improvement over the current systems used for AR&D/C today. NASA's AR&D/C sensor development path could benefit the International Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) and support the GER mission scenario by providing a common sensor suite upon which GER objectives could be achieved while minimizing development costs. The paper will describe the concepts of operations of these missions and how the common sensors are utilized by each mission. It will also detail the potential partnerships and contribution of the International community in the development of this common AR&D/C sensor suite.
Hinkel, Heather↗
The Ion Propulsion System for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission
The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a candidate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a subsequent human-crewed mission. The ion propulsion subsystem must be capable of operating over an 8-year time period and processing up to 10,000 kg of xenon propellant. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as an enabling element of an affordable beyond low-earth orbit human-crewed exploration architecture. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. The ion propulsion system for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle is based on the NASA-developed 12.5 kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding thruster and power processing technologies. This paper presents the conceptual design for the ion propulsion system, a status on the NASA in-house thruster and power processing is provided, and an update on acquisition for flight provided.
Ion Propulsion↗
Trajectory Design Considerations for Exploration Mission 1
Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) will be the first mission to send an uncrewed Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) to cislunar space in the fall of 2019. EM-1 was originally conceived as a lunar free-return mission, but was later changed to a Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) mission as a precursor to the Asteroid Redirect Mission. To understand the required mission performance (i.e., propellant requirement), a series of trajectory optimization runs was conducted using JSC's Copernicus spacecraft trajectory optimization tool. In order for the runs to be done in a timely manner, it was necessary to employ a parallelization approach on a computing cluster using a new trajectory scan tool written in Python. Details of the scan tool are provided and how it is used to perform the scans and post-process the results. Initially, a scan of daily due east launched EM-1 DRO missions in 2018 was made. Valid mission opportunities are ones that do not exceed the useable propellant available to perform the required burns. The initial scan data showed the propellant and delta-V performance patterns for each launch period. As questions were raised from different subsystems (e.g., power, thermal, communications, flight operations, etc.), the mission parameters or data that were of interest to them were added to the scan output data file. The additional data includes: (1) local launch and landing times in relation to sunrise and sunset, (2) length of eclipse periods during the in-space portion of the mission, (3) Earth line of sight from cislunar space, (4) Deep Space Network field of view looking towards cislunar space, and (5) variation of the downrange distance from Earth entry interface to splashdown. Mission design trades can also be performed based on the information that the additional data shows. For example, if the landing is in darkness, but the recovery operations team desires a landing in daylight, then an analysis is performed to determine how to change the mission design to meet this request. Also, subsystems request feasibility of alternate or contingency mission designs, such as adding an Orion main engine checkout burn or Orion completing all of its burns using only its auxiliary thrusters. This paper examines and presents the evolving trade studies that incorporate subsystem feedback and demonstrate the feasibility of these constrained mission trajectory designs and contingencies.
Dawn, Timothy F.↗
The Ion Propulsion System for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission
The Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission is a candidate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission whose main objectives are to develop and demonstrate a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency and return an asteroidal mass for rendezvous and characterization in a companion human-crewed mission. The ion propulsion system must be capable of operating over an 8-year time period and processing up to 10,000 kg of xenon propellant. This high-power solar electric propulsion capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of an affordable, beyond-low-Earth-orbit, manned-exploration architecture. Under the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate the critical electric propulsion and solar array technologies are being developed. The ion propulsion system being co-developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle is based on the NASA-developed 12.5 kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS0 thruster and power processing technologies. This paper presents the conceptual design for the ion propulsion system, the status of the NASA in-house thruster and power processing activity, and an update on flight hardware.
Electric Propulsion↗
Combining Solar Electric and Chemical Propulsion for Crewed Missions to Mars
This paper documents the results of an investigation of human Mars mission architectures that leverage near-term technology investments and infrastructures resulting from the planned Asteroid Redirect Mission, including high-power Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) and a human presence in Lunar Distant Retrograde Orbit (LDRO). The architectures investigated use a combination of SEP and chemical propulsion elements. Through this combination of propulsion technologies, these architectures take advantage of the high efficiency SEP propulsion system to deliver cargo, while maintaining the faster trip times afforded by chemical propulsion for crew transport. Evolved configurations of the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV) are considered for cargo delivery. Sensitivities to SEP system design parameters, including power level and propellant quantity, are presented. For the crew delivery, liquid oxygen and methane stages were designed using engines common to future human Mars landers. Impacts of various Earth departure orbits, Mars loiter orbits, and Earth return strategies are presented. The use of the Space Launch System for delivery of the various architecture elements was also investigated and launch vehicle manifesting, launch scheduling and mission timelines are also discussed. The study results show that viable Mars architecture can be constructed using LDRO and SEP in order to take advantage of investments made in the ARM mission.
Percy, Tom↗
Extensibility of Human Asteroid Mission to Mars and Other Destinations
This paper will describe the benefits of execution of the Asteroid Redirect Mission as an early mission in deep space, demonstrating solar electric propulsion, deep space robotics, ground and on-board navigation, docking, and EVA. The paper will also discuss how staging in trans-lunar space and the elements associated with this mission are excellent building blocks for subsequent deep space missions to Mars or other destinations.
McDonald, Mark A.↗
Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission Design and Navigation for Low Energy Escape
This paper describes the evolution of the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission design and navigation. Specifically, the mission has been conceived as (1) a hydrazine bus on a ballistic trajectory, (2) a low-thrust bus launching from a geostationary transfer orbit and spiraling to escape, and (3) a lowthrust bus that launches with a small positive escape energy. This paper discusses the rationale in favor of the third concept, low energy escape, and describes the key mission design and navigation studies. In an effort to be compatible with an unknown co-manifest partner, the trajectory design must account for a large range of launch energies, orientations, and dates. The navigation approach must account for sensitive regions in the trajectory and plan for both low-thrust and chemical phases of flight. These findings are relevant to other missions pursuing low-cost interplanetary rideshare concepts.
Grebow, Daniel↗
Concept of Operations for a Prospective "Proving Ground" in the Lunar Vicinity
NASA is studying conceptual architectures for a "Proving Ground" near the Moon or in high lunar orbit to conduct human space exploration missions that bridge the gap between today's operations with the International Space Station (ISS) and future human exploration of Mars beginning in the 2030s. This paper describes the framework of a concept of operations ("Conops") for candidate activities in the Proving Ground. The Conops discusses broad goals that the Proving Ground might address, such as participation from commercial entities, support for human landings on the Moon, use of mature technologies, and growth of capability through a steady cadence of increasingly ambitious piloted missions. Additional Proving Ground objectives are outlined in a companion paper. Key elements in the Conops include the Orion spacecraft (with mission kits for docking and other specialized operations) and the Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket. Potential additions include a new space suit, commercial launch vehicles and logistics carriers, Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) stages to move elements between different orbits and eventually take them on excursions to deep space, a core module with multiple docking ports, a habitation block, and robotic and piloted lunar landers. The landers might include reusable ascent modules which could remain docked to in-space elements between lunar sorties. A module providing advanced regenerative life support functions could launch to the ISS, and later move to the Proving Ground. The architecture will include infrastructure for launch preparation, communication, mission control, and range safety. The Conops describes notional missions chosen to guide the design of the architecture and its elements. One such mission might be the delivery of a approximately 10-t Transit Habitat element, comanifested with Orion on a Block 1B SLS launcher, to the Proving Ground. In another mission, the architecture might participate in direct human exploration of an asteroidal boulder brought to high lunar orbit by the Asteroid Redirect Mission. The Proving Ground stack could serve as a staging point and tele-operation center for robotic and piloted Moon landings. With the addition of a SEP stage, the architecture could support months-long excursions within and beyond the Earth's sphere of influence, possibly culminating in a year-long mission to land humans on a near-Earth asteroid. In the last case, after returning to near-lunar space, two of the asteroid explorers could join two crewmembers freshly arrived from Earth for a Moon landing, helping to quantify the risk of landing deconditioned crews on Mars. In a conceptual mission particularly stressing to system design, Proving Ground elements could transit to Mars orbit. Other possible design-driving operations include relocation of the stack with no crew on board, the unpiloted journey of the advanced life support module from ISS to the lunar vicinity, excursions to other destinations in near-Earth space, and additional support for Mars exploration in conjunction with the Evolvable Mars Campaign. The Proving Ground Conops concludes with a discussion of aborts and contingency operations
Love, Stanley G.↗