Session
Technical Session III: Year in Review
Abstract
Guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) or attitude determination and control (ADACS) can vary from very simplistic systems that simply minimize tumble rates of a vehicle, to complex 3-axis pointing systems that can provide a variety of pointing modes to ground and space objects. Recent experience with a variety of missions provides some view into just how sensitive the sensors and actuators can be in a real space environment. Flight experience coupled with high fidelity dynamic simulations and detailed analysis show how seemingly simple devices such as sun sensors, magnetometers and infrared Earth horizon sensors IREHS) have provided challenges to meeting desired pointing.
The challenges of a CubeSat or nanosat command and telemetry capability in evaluating performance and resolving minor on-orbit issues is also reviewed. The closed loop nature of satellite control can provide extreme challenges in determining actual performance and pin-pointing minor sources of error. Multiple experiences of using limited on-orbit data, lack of real-time control, and challenges of providing on-orbit software or scripting changes for a time limited mission are reviewed and can provide valuable lessons learned for future missions.
GN&C Lessons Learned from Multiple Missions
Guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) or attitude determination and control (ADACS) can vary from very simplistic systems that simply minimize tumble rates of a vehicle, to complex 3-axis pointing systems that can provide a variety of pointing modes to ground and space objects. Recent experience with a variety of missions provides some view into just how sensitive the sensors and actuators can be in a real space environment. Flight experience coupled with high fidelity dynamic simulations and detailed analysis show how seemingly simple devices such as sun sensors, magnetometers and infrared Earth horizon sensors IREHS) have provided challenges to meeting desired pointing.
The challenges of a CubeSat or nanosat command and telemetry capability in evaluating performance and resolving minor on-orbit issues is also reviewed. The closed loop nature of satellite control can provide extreme challenges in determining actual performance and pin-pointing minor sources of error. Multiple experiences of using limited on-orbit data, lack of real-time control, and challenges of providing on-orbit software or scripting changes for a time limited mission are reviewed and can provide valuable lessons learned for future missions.
