NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Collections About News Help Login
Back to Results
Autonomous Aerobraking Development Software: Phase 2 SummaryNASA has used aerobraking at Mars and Venus to reduce the fuel required to deliver a spacecraft into a desired orbit compared to an all-propulsive solution. Although aerobraking reduces the propellant, it does so at the expense of mission duration, large staff, and DSN coverage. These factors make aerobraking a significant cost element in the mission design. By moving on-board the current ground-based tasks of ephemeris determination, atmospheric density estimation, and maneuver sizing and execution, a flight project would realize significant cost savings. The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) sponsored Phase 1 and 2 of the Autonomous Aerobraking Development Software (AADS) study, which demonstrated the initial feasibility of moving these current ground-based functions to the spacecraft. This paper highlights key state-of-the-art advancements made in the Phase 2 effort to verify that the AADS algorithms are accurate, robust and ready to be considered for application on future missions that utilize aerobraking. The advancements discussed herein include both model updates and simulation and benchmark testing. Rigorous testing using observed flight atmospheres, operational environments and statistical analysis characterized the AADS operability in a perturbed environment.
Document ID
20140001382
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Cianciolo, Alicia D. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Maddock, Robert W. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Prince, Jill L. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Bowes, Angela (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Powell, Richard W. (Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)
White, Joseph P. (Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. Hampton, VA, United States)
Tolson, Robert (National Inst. of Aerospace Hampton, VA, United States)
O'Shaughnessy, Daniel (Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Carrelli, David (Johns Hopkins Univ. Laurel, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
March 12, 2014
Publication Date
August 11, 2013
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
AAS 13-736
NF1676L-17308
Meeting Information
Meeting: AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference
Location: Hilton Head, SC
Country: United States
Start Date: August 11, 2013
End Date: August 15, 2013
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Astronautical Society
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 869021.05.07.01.14
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

Related Records

There are no records associated with this record.
No Preview Available