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Hayabusa Re-Entry: Trajectory Analysis and Observation Mission DesignOn June 13th, 2010, the Hayabusa sample return capsule successfully re-entered Earth s atmosphere over the Woomera Prohibited Area in southern Australia in its quest to return fragments from the asteroid 1998 SF36 Itokawa . The sample return capsule entered at a super-orbital velocity of 12.04 km/sec (inertial), making it the second fastest human-made object to traverse the atmosphere. The NASA DC-8 airborne observatory was utilized as an instrument platform to record the luminous portion of the sample return capsule re-entry (~60 sec) with a variety of on-board spectroscopic imaging instruments. The predicted sample return capsule s entry state information at ~200 km altitude was propagated through the atmosphere to generate aerothermodynamic and trajectory data used for initial observation flight path design and planning. The DC- 8 flight path was designed by considering safety, optimal sample return capsule viewing geometry and aircraft capabilities in concert with key aerothermodynamic events along the predicted trajectory. Subsequent entry state vector updates provided by the Deep Space Network team at NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory were analyzed after the planned trajectory correction maneuvers to further refine the DC-8 observation flight path. Primary and alternate observation flight paths were generated during the mission planning phase which required coordination with Australian authorities for pre-mission approval. The final observation flight path was chosen based upon trade-offs between optimal viewing requirements, ground based observer locations (to facilitate post-flight trajectory reconstruction), predicted weather in the Woomera Prohibited Area and constraints imposed by flight path filing deadlines. To facilitate sample return capsule tracking by the instrument operators, a series of two racetrack flight path patterns were performed prior to the observation leg so the instruments could be pointed towards the region in the star background where the sample return capsule was expected to become visible. An overview of the design methodologies and trade-offs used in the Hayabusa re-entry observation campaign are presented.
Document ID
20110015027
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Cassell, Alan M. (Engineering Research and Consulting, Inc. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Winter, Michael W. (California Univ. Santa Cruz, CA, United States)
Allen, Gary A. (Engineering Research and Consulting, Inc. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Grinstead, Jay H. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Antimisiaris, Manny E. (NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Edwards, CA, United States)
Albers, James (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Inst. Mountain View, CA, United States)
Jenniskens, Peter (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Inst. Mountain View, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
June 27, 2011
Subject Category
Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command And Tracking
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN3813
Meeting Information
Meeting: 42nd AIAA Thermophysics Conference
Location: Honolulu, HI
Country: United States
Start Date: June 27, 2011
End Date: June 30, 2011
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNA10DE12C
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS2-03144
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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