CubeSat autonomous navigation and guidance for low-cost asteroid flyby missions

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dc.contributor.authorMachuca, Pablo
dc.contributor.authorSánchez, Joan-Pau
dc.date.accessioned2021-08-19T14:31:05Z
dc.date.available2021-08-19T14:31:05Z
dc.date.issued2021-08-18
dc.description.abstractRecent advancements in CubeSat technology unfold new mission ideas and the opportunity to lower the cost of space exploration. Ground operations costs for interplanetary CubeSats, however, still represent a challenge toward low-cost CubeSat missions: hence, certain levels of autonomy are desirable. The feasibility of autonomous asteroid flyby missions using CubeSats is assessed here, and an effective strategy for autonomous operations is proposed. The navigation strategy is composed of observations of the Sun, visible planets, and the target asteroid, whereas the guidance strategy is composed of two optimally timed trajectory correction maneuvers. A Monte Carlo analysis is performed to understand the flyby accuracies that can be achieved by autonomous CubeSats, in consideration of errors and uncertainties in a) departure conditions, b) propulsive maneuvers, c) observations, and d) asteroid ephemerides. Flyby accuracies better than ±100  km (3σ)" role>±100  km (3σ)±100  km (3σ) are found possible, and main limiting factors to autonomous missions are identified, namely a) on-board asteroid visibility time (Vlim≥11" role=>Vlim≥11Vlim≥11), b) ΔV" role=">ΔVΔV for correction maneuvers (>15  m/s>15  m/s), c) asteroid ephemeris uncertainty (<1000  km><1000  km<1000  km), and d) short duration of transfer to asteroid. Ultimately, this study assesses the readiness level of current CubeSat technology to autonomously flyby near-Earth asteroids, in consideration of realistic system specifications, errors, and uncertainties.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationMachuca P, Sánchez J-P. (2021) CubeSat autonomous navigation and guidance for low-cost asteroid flyby missions. Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Available online 18 August 2021en_UK
dc.identifier.issn0022-4650
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.2514/1.A34986
dc.identifier.urihttps://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/17026
dc.language.isoenen_UK
dc.publisherAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauticsen_UK
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/*
dc.subjectCubeSat technologyen_UK
dc.titleCubeSat autonomous navigation and guidance for low-cost asteroid flyby missionsen_UK
dc.typeArticleen_UK

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