Planetary Spacecraft Navigation

This textbook introduces the theories and practical procedures used in planetary spacecraft navigation. Written by a former member of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) navigation team, it delves into the mathematics behind modern digital navigation programs, as well as the numerous technological resources used by JPL as a key player in the field. In addition, the text offers an analysis of navigation theory application in recent missions, with the goal of showing students the relationship between navigation theory and the real-world orchestration of mission operations.

In this new edition, the authors James Miller and Connie Weeks dive deeper into how computer programming has assisted with planetary spacecraft navigation; evaluating real-world results and relying on complex mathematical theory to observe advancements made in this rapidly accelerating field. This textbook introduces the theories and practical procedures used in planetary spacecraft navigation. Written by a former member of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) navigation team with his co-author, it delves into the mathematics behind modern digital navigation programs, as well as the numerous technological resources used by JPL as a key player in the field. In addition, the text offers an analysis of navigation theory application in recent missions, with the goal of showing students the relationship between navigation theory and the real-world orchestration of mission operations.

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.

This brief approaches General Relativity from a planetary navigation perspective, delving into the unconventional mathematical methods required to produce computer software for space missions. It provides a derivation of the Einstein field equations and describes experiments performed on the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission, spanning General Relativity Theory from the fundamental assumptions to experimental verification. The software used for planetary missions is derived from mathematics that use matrix notation. An alternative is to use Einstein summation notation, which enables the mathematics to be presented in a compact form but makes the geometry difficult to understand. In this book, the relationship of matrix notation to summation notation is shown. The purpose is to enable the reader to derive the mathematics used in the software in either matrix notation or summation notation. This brief is a useful tool for advanced students and young professionals embarking on careers in planetary navigation.

Deep Space Craft opens the door to interplanetary flight. It looks at this world from the vantage point of real operations on a specific mission, and follows a natural trail from the day-to-day working of this particular spacecraft, through the functioning of all spacecraft to the collaboration of the various disciplines to produce the results for which a spacecraft is designed. These results are of course mostly of a scientific nature, although a small number of interplanetary missions are also flown primarily to test and prove new engineering techniques. The author shows how, in order to make sense of all the scientific data coming back to Earth, the need for experiments and instrumentation arises, and follows the design and construction of the instruments through to their placement and testing on a spacecraft prior to launch. Examples are given of the interaction between an instrument’s science team and the mission’s flight team to plan and specify observations, gather and analyze data in flight, and finally present the results and discoveries to the scientific community. This highly focused, insider’s guide to interplanetary space exploration uses many examples of previous and current endeavors. It will enable the reader to research almost any topic related to spacecraft and to seek the latest scientific findings, the newest emerging technologies, or the current status of a favorite flight. In order to provide easy paths from the general to the specific, the text constantly refers to the Appendices. Within the main text, the intent is general familiarization and categorization of spacecraft and instruments at a high level, to provide a mental framework to place in context and understand any spacecraft and any instrument encountered in the reader’s experience. Appendix A gives illustrated descriptions of many interplanetary spacecraft, some earth-orbiters and ground facilities to reinforce the classification framework. Appendix B contains illustrated detailed descriptions of a dozen scientific instruments, including some ground-breaking engineering appliances that have either already been in operation or are poised for flight. Each instrument’s range of sensitivity in wavelengths of light, etc, and its physical principle(s) of operation is described. Appendix C has a few annotated illustrations to clarify the nomenclature of regions and structures in the solar system and the planets’ ring systems, and places the solar system in context with the local interstellar environment.

This book consolidates decades of knowledge on space flight navigation theory, which has thus far been spread across various research articles. By gathering this research into a single text, it will be more accessible to students curious about the study of space flight navigation. Books on optimal control theory and orbital mechanics have not adequately explored the field of space flight navigation theory until this point. The opening chapters introduce essential concepts within optimal control theory, such as the optimization of static systems, special boundary conditions, and dynamic equality constraints. An analytical approach is focused on throughout, as opposed to computational. The result is a book that emphasizes simplicity and practicability, which makes it accessible and engaging. This holds true in later chapters that involve orbital mechanics, two-body maneuvers, bounded inputs, and flight in non-spherical gravity fields. The intended audience is primarily upper-undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers of aerospace, mechanical, and/or electrical engineering. It will be especially valuable to those with interests in spacecraft dynamics and control. Readers should be familiar with basic dynamics and modern control theory. Additionally, a knowledge of linear algebra, variational methods, and ordinary differential equations is recommended.

This book focuses on the navigation and tracking of artificial space objects, with emphasis on modelling the dynamics in a wide range of space missions, including: earth-orbiting satellite missions, launch and re-entry missions as well as interplanetary missions. The book guides you in designing suitable estimation algorithms for each type of mission. It also helps you in addressing non-linearity in designing navigation algorithms for space missions, and walks you through the process for choosing estimators for navigation and tracking of space vehicles. You’ll find specific details on earth-orbiting satellite tracking and navigation that helps you determine precise orbit, and will understand how to get navigation and tracking results using the Least Square Estimation and the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) for simulated observations. You also learn how to address tracking performance of spacecraft in interplanetary trajectories that are affected by a diverse set of problems, such low signal power, intermittent observations, observations at low rate and delays. Techniques for designing navigation and tracking algorithms to address these problems are delineated. The book also provides in-depth coverage of multi-object tracking, relevant data association and estimation algorithms in the Situational Space Awareness context. MATLAB /Simulink based software is provided for simulation and simulated data set. This is an excellent reference and practical tool for professionals in the field of Guidance, Navigation and Control, along with researchers and advanced students in the field of space vehicle navigation, tracking, guidance and control.

Explores the history and significance of interplanetary space missions. Features detailed explanations and mathematical methods for trajectory optimization. Includes detailed explanations and mathematical methods for mission analysis for interplanetary missions. Covers the introduction, mathematical methods, and applications of the N-body problem (N>2). Discusses navigation and targeting for interplanetary mission.