AAS 04-136 NEW HORIZONS PLUTO APPROACH NAVIGATION
The navigation of the New Horizons spacecraft during approach to Pluto and its satellite Charon is described. The great distance of the spacecraft from the Earth and Sun presents several new challenges that are identified and described by analytic formula. The two-body dynamics present a particularly interesting problem of satellite orbit determination. A complete covariance analysis is performed describing navigation and science data acquisition accuracies. The results of the covariance analysis are compared with analytic formula to provide insight into the operation of the navigation system.
Orbit Determination Strategy and Accuracy for a Comet Rendezvous Mission
Orbit determination during the postrendezvous phases of the Comet Rendezvous/Asteroid Flyby mission is described. The orbit determination process is discussed, with emphasis placed on optical imaging of landmarks, Doppler tracking, and the effects of nongravitatio nal accelerations. Rotational dynamics are introduced for the cometary nucleus. State estimation errors are given for spacecraft trajectory prediction and cometary nucleus attitude prediction. Estimation errors are also given for physical parameters that describe the cometary nucleus such as moments of inertia and gravity field harmonics. The orbit determination performance in support of science instrument pointing while in orbit about the nucleus is described.
Pluto Fast Flyby: An Overview of the Mission and Spacecraft Design, Advanced Technology Insertion Efforts, and Student Involvement Opportunities
In an effort to complete the initial reconnanissance of our solar system, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is designing a mission to send two very small spacecraft to explore Pluto and its moon, Charon.