Advances in Spacecraft Atmospheric Entry Guidance

Advances in Spacecraft Atmospheric Entry Guidance
Author: Joel Benito Manrique
Publisher:
Total Pages: 197
Release: 2010
Genre:
ISBN: 9781124016733

In order to advance entry guidance technology two different research areas have been explored with the objective of increasing the reachable landing area and the landing accuracy for future Mars missions. Currently only the northern hemisphere of Mars is available for landing due to its low elevation. Only low elevation landing sites have the necessary atmospheric density to allow landing using current Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) technology. In order to reach most of the Ancient Highlands, the majority of the southern hemisphere, advanced EDL technology is needed in multiple fields, including entry guidance. The first research area is the definition and applications of reachable and controllable sets for entry. The definition of the reachable and controllable sets provides a framework for the study of the capabilities of an entry vehicle in a given planet. Reachable and controllable sets can be used to comprehensively characterize the envelope of trajectories that a vehicle can fly, the sites it can reach and the entry states that can be accommodated. The sets can also be used for the evaluation of trajectory planning algorithms and to assist in the selection of the entry or landing sites. In essence, the reachable and controllable sets offer a powerful vehicle and trajectory analysis and design framework that allows for better mission design choices. In order to illustrate the use of the sets, they are computed for a representative Mars mission using two different vehicle configurations. The sets characterize the impact of the vehicle configuration on the entry capability. Furthermore, the sets are used to find the best skip-entry trajectory for a return from the Moon mission, highlighting the utility of the sets in atmospheric maneuvers other than entry. The second research area is the development of the components of an entry guidance algorithm that allow high elevation landing and provide as well high landing accuracy. The approach taken follows the acceleration guidance approach successfully used in missions like the Space Shuttle. Based on this approach, a new planner has been developed that is computationally fast and provides trajectories with both high final altitude and high control authority. A new tracking law based on nonlinear predictive control has been developed to track the reference trajectory. The new tracking law accounts for control saturation, which is a common feature of trajectories in the thin Martian atmosphere with a low lift vehicle. Finally, a final position guidance algorithm that aligns the vehicle's heading towards the target and provides altitude and range control, has been developed. The new guidance algorithm provides increased accuracy as well as higher final altitude compared to an entry guidance algorithm representative of the current capabilities.

Re-entry and Planetary Entry Physics and Technology

Re-entry and Planetary Entry Physics and Technology
Author: W.H.T. Loh
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2013-11-11
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 364250082X

During the last decade, a rapid growth of knowledge in the field of re-entry and planetary entry has resulted in many significant advances useful to the student, engineer and scientist. The purpose of offering this course is to make available to them these recent significant advances in physics and technology. Accordingly, this course is organized into five parts: Part 1, Entry Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Physics and Radiation; Part 2, Entry Abla tion and Heat Transfer; Part 3, Entry Experimentation; Part 4, Entry Concepts and Technology; and Part 5, Advanced Entry Programs. It is written in such a way so that it may easily be adopted by other universities as a textbook for a two semesters senior or graduate course on the sub ject. In addition to the undersigned who served as the course instructor and wrote Chapters, 1, 2, 3 and 4, guest lecturers included: Prof. FRANKLIN K. MOORE who wrote Chapter 5 "Entry Radiative Transfer," Prof. SHIH-I PAI who wrote Chapter 6 "Entry Radiation-Magnetogasdy namics," Dr. CARL GAZLEY, J r. who wrote Chapter 7 "Entry Deaccelera [ion and Mass Change of an Ablating Body," Dr. SINCLAIRE M. SCALA who wrote Chapter 8 "Entry Heat Transfer and Material Response," Mr.

Spacecraft Navigation and Guidance

Spacecraft Navigation and Guidance
Author: Maxwell Noton
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 144711583X

The analysis and computational techniques associated with the navigation and guidance of spacecraft are now in a mature state of development. However the documentation has remained dispersed throughout conference papers, journals, company and contract rep orts, making it difficult to get a true, comprehensive picture of the subject. This text brings together the body of literature with suitable attention to the necessary underlying mathematics and computational techniques. It covers in detail the necessary orbital mechanics, orbit determination with emphasis on the SRIF algorithm, gr avity assist manoeuvres and guidance, both ground-based and autonomous. Attention is paid to all phases of a space mission including launch and re-entry, and whether culminating in an earth satellite or a deep space mission to planets or primitive bodies. Software associated with the text is available free to the reader by means of the Internet server of the publisher. 'Spacecraft Navigation and Guidance' is an invaluable aid for all those working within astronautics, aeronautics, and control engineering in general.

Design of Trajectory Optimization Approach for Space Maneuver Vehicle Skip Entry Problems

Design of Trajectory Optimization Approach for Space Maneuver Vehicle Skip Entry Problems
Author: Runqi Chai
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 207
Release: 2019-07-30
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9811398453

This book explores the design of optimal trajectories for space maneuver vehicles (SMVs) using optimal control-based techniques. It begins with a comprehensive introduction to and overview of three main approaches to trajectory optimization, and subsequently focuses on the design of a novel hybrid optimization strategy that combines an initial guess generator with an improved gradient-based inner optimizer. Further, it highlights the development of multi-objective spacecraft trajectory optimization problems, with a particular focus on multi-objective transcription methods and multi-objective evolutionary algorithms. In its final sections, the book studies spacecraft flight scenarios with noise-perturbed dynamics and probabilistic constraints, and designs and validates new chance-constrained optimal control frameworks. The comprehensive and systematic treatment of practical issues in spacecraft trajectory optimization is one of the book’s major features, making it particularly suited for readers who are seeking practical solutions in spacecraft trajectory optimization. It offers a valuable asset for researchers, engineers, and graduate students in GNC systems, engineering optimization, applied optimal control theory, etc.