Session
Weekend Session I: Advanced Technologies Research & Academia 1
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
EQUULEUS (EQUilibriUm Lunar-Earth point 6U Spacecraft) is a 6U CubeSat developed by the University of Tokyo and JAXA. It was launched on November 16, 2022, aboard NASA’s SLS Artemis-1 with the objectives of demonstrating orbital maneuvering capabilities in the cis-lunar environment and observing Earth’s magnetosphere plasma. After completing its major orbital maneuvers and achieving full mission success, communication with EQUULEUS was lost in 18th May 2023. Rapid fault tree analysis and optical observations using large telescopes indicated the spacecraft was likely in an uncontrolled tumbling state. Recovery operations were planned to re-establish communication by identifying potential times for sufficient solar power generation. This paper describes the details of EQUULEUS’s recovery operation.
Challenges and Operations to Re-Establish Communications With EQUULEUS After Loss of Contact During Its Cruise to the Earth-Moon L2 Point
Utah State University, Logan, UT
EQUULEUS (EQUilibriUm Lunar-Earth point 6U Spacecraft) is a 6U CubeSat developed by the University of Tokyo and JAXA. It was launched on November 16, 2022, aboard NASA’s SLS Artemis-1 with the objectives of demonstrating orbital maneuvering capabilities in the cis-lunar environment and observing Earth’s magnetosphere plasma. After completing its major orbital maneuvers and achieving full mission success, communication with EQUULEUS was lost in 18th May 2023. Rapid fault tree analysis and optical observations using large telescopes indicated the spacecraft was likely in an uncontrolled tumbling state. Recovery operations were planned to re-establish communication by identifying potential times for sufficient solar power generation. This paper describes the details of EQUULEUS’s recovery operation.
