• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.79-88
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• 2023

On Aug. 4, 2022, at 23:08:48 (UTC), the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), also known as Danuri, was launched using a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Currently, KPLO is successfully conducting its science mission around the Moon. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Deep Space Network (DSN) was utilized for the successful flight operation of KPLO. A great deal of joint effort was made between the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) and NASA DSN team since the beginning of KPLO ground system design for the success of the mission. The efficient utilization and management of NASA DSN in deep space exploration are critical not only for the spacecraft's telemetry and command but also for tracking the flight dynamics (FD) operation. In this work, the top-level DSN interface architecture, detailed workflows, DSN support levels, and practical lessons learned from the joint team's efforts are presented for KPLO's successful FD operation. Due to the significant joint team's efforts, KPLO is currently performing its mission smoothly in the lunar mission orbit. Through KPLO cooperative operation experience with DSN, a more reliable and efficient partnership is expected not only for Korea's own deep space exploration mission but also for the KARI-NASA DSN joint support on other deep space missions in the future.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.361-370
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• 2004

본 연구에서는 행성간 탐사선의 정밀궤도결정에 필수적인 심우주 추적망(Deep Space Network, DSN) 관측모델을 개발하였다. DSN 관측모델은 DSN 관측시 발생하는 오차를 모델링하여 실제 DSN 관측값과 동일한 관측값을 생성하는 역할을 수행한다. 본 연구의 목적은 행성간 탐사선 정밀궤도결정 과정의 일환인 DSN 관측모델을 개발하는 것이다. DSN 관측모델에는 대류층, 이온층과 안테나 옵셋 오차 모델을 포함시켰으며 임무에 따라 변하는 파라미터 값도 적용하였다. 또한 DSN 관측모델을 3개의 DSN 지상국에서 방위각-고도 마운트를 사용하는 모든 안테나에 대해 구현하였다. 고려한 오차모델의 결과값과 JPL 결과값을 비교해 본 결과, 모든 오차모델 값이 JPL에서 제시한 허용오차 범위인 $10\%$ 내에 있음을 확인하였다. 오차모델과 파라미터를 고려하여 실제 관측과 동일한 DSN 관측값을 생성하였으며, 이를 통해 본 연구에서 개발된 관측모델이 향후 우리 나라 행성간 탐사 임무시 정밀궤도 결정을 위한 관측모델로 활용 가능함을 확인하였다.

• 한국항공우주학회지
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• 제38권5호
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• pp.499-506
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• 2010

세계 각국은 이미 우주 개발을 위한 치열한 경쟁에 돌입하였으며, 우리나라도 2020년에 달 탐사선 발사 및 2025년에 달 착륙선 발사를 계획하고 있다. 우리나라 달 탐사 계획을 성공적으로 수행하기 위해서는 심우주 통신 기술 및 지상국 설치등과 같은 심우주 관련 기술 개발이 필요하다. 이를 위하여 심우주 관련 선진국들과의 협력을 통하여 축적된 경험 및 기술을 바탕으로 한국형 달 탐사 임무에 적합한 심우주 통신 방식을 개발하고 독자적인 지상국을 확보하여야 한다. 본 논문에서는 우리나라의 DSN을 성공적으로 정착시키기 위하여 국외 DSN과 심우주 통신 기술에 대해서 살펴보고, 이를 바탕으로 링크 마진을 비롯한 여러 가지 기술적 요구사항을 제시하며 우리나라의 달 탐사 계획을 위해 필요한 최적의 지상국 확보 전략을 제안한다.

• 한국위성정보통신학회논문지
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.86-91
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• 2016

한국항공우주연구원은 한국 최초의 달 탐사를 위한 시험용 달 궤도선을 개발하고 있으며, 임무 성공을 위해 다양한 분석을 수행하고 있다. 특히 각 탑재체를 통해 획득된 과학 및 기술 데이터를 지구로 전송하기 위해 통신 성능이 중요한 요소 중의 하나로 판단된다. 본 논문에서는 지상국과 궤도선 간의 가시성 분석을 통해 하루 평균 전송 가능한 다운링크 용량에 대한 연구 내용을 설명하고, 그 결과에 대해 정리하였다.

• 한국통신학회논문지
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• 제39A권4호
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• pp.212-214
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• 2014

본 논문에서는 달 탐사선이 달 공전궤도에 안착 후 지상국과 가능한 통신 시나리오를 설계하고 성능을 분석한다. 시나리오에 따라 DSN 또는 국내 지상국만을 사용한 경우로 나누어 통신 가능시간을 분석하고 하루 동안 전송 가능한 총 데이터 처리량을 제시한다.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.139-151
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• 2017

This paper presents an overview of deep space orbit determination software (DSODS), as well as validation and verification results on its event prediction capabilities. DSODS was developed in the MATLAB object-oriented programming environment to support the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) mission. DSODS has three major capabilities: celestial event prediction for spacecraft, orbit determination with deep space network (DSN) tracking data, and DSN tracking data simulation. To achieve its functionality requirements, DSODS consists of four modules: orbit propagation (OP), event prediction (EP), data simulation (DS), and orbit determination (OD) modules. This paper explains the highest-level data flows between modules in event prediction, orbit determination, and tracking data simulation processes. Furthermore, to address the event prediction capability of DSODS, this paper introduces OP and EP modules. The role of the OP module is to handle time and coordinate system conversions, to propagate spacecraft trajectories, and to handle the ephemerides of spacecraft and celestial bodies. Currently, the OP module utilizes the General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) as a third-party software component for high-fidelity deep space propagation, as well as time and coordinate system conversions. The role of the EP module is to predict celestial events, including eclipses, and ground station visibilities, and this paper presents the functionality requirements of the EP module. The validation and verification results show that, for most cases, event prediction errors were less than 10 millisec when compared with flight proven mission analysis tools such as GMAT and Systems Tool Kit (STK). Thus, we conclude that DSODS is capable of predicting events for the KPLO in real mission applications.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.237-247
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• 2020

The ground tracking support is a critical factor for the navigation performance of spacecraft orbiting around the Moon. Because of the tracking limit of antennas, only a small number of facilities can support lunar missions. Therefore, case studies for various ground tracking support conditions are needed for lunar missions on the stage of preliminary mission analysis. This study analyzes the ground supporting condition effect on orbit determination (OD) of Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) in the lunar orbit. For the assumption of ground support conditions, daily tracking frequency, cut-off angle for low elevation, tracking measurement accuracy, and tracking failure situations were considered. Two antennas of deep space network (DSN) and Korea Deep Space Antenna (KDSA) are utilized for various tracking conditions configuration. For the investigation of the daily tracking frequency effect, three cases (full support, DSN 4 pass/day and KDSA 4 pass/day, and DSN 2 pass/day and KDSA 2 pass/day) are prepared. For the elevation cut-off angle effect, two situations, which are 5 deg and 10 deg, are assumed. Three cases (0%, 30%, and 50% of degradation) were considered for the tracking measurement accuracy effect. Three cases such as no missing, 1-day KDSA missing, and 2-day KDSA missing are assumed for tracking failure effect. For OD, a sequential estimation algorithm was used, and for the OD performance evaluation, position uncertainty, position differences between true and estimated orbits, and orbit overlap precision according to various ground supporting conditions were investigated. Orbit prediction accuracy variations due to ground tracking conditions were also demonstrated. This study provides a guideline for selecting ground tracking support levels and preparing a backup plan for the KPLO lunar mission phase.

• 항공우주기술
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.120-128
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• 2014

우주 탐사를 향한 인류의 도전은 이제 태양계 바깥으로 확대되고 있다. 2010년대 전후의 우주 탐사 무대는 달에서 벗어나 주로 화성, 금성, 그리고 소행성(Asteroids)이 되고 있다. 우주선이 지구에서 멀어 질수록 여러 가지 기술적인 도전을 받고 있는데 통신 프로토콜이 대표적인 하나이다. 본 논문에서는 심우주 탐사선과 통신을 위해서 국제적으로 사용되고 있는 통신 프로토콜 기술을 소프트웨어적인 측면에서 분석한 결과를 기술하였으며 이는 2017년에 한국으로는 최초로 발사되는 시험용 달 궤도선 개발에 중요한 참고 연구가 될 것으로 판단된다.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제34권3호
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• pp.213-223
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• 2017

The deep space orbit determination software (DSODS) is a part of a flight dynamic subsystem (FDS) for the Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), a lunar exploration mission expected to launch after 2018. The DSODS consists of several sub modules, of which the orbit determination (OD) module employs a weighted least squares algorithm for estimating the parameters related to the motion and the tracking system of the spacecraft, and subroutines for performance improvement and detailed analysis of the orbit solution. In this research, DSODS is demonstrated and validated at lunar orbit at an altitude of 100 km using actual Lunar Prospector tracking data. A set of a priori states are generated, and the robustness of DSODS to the a priori error is confirmed by the NASA planetary data system (PDS) orbit solutions. Furthermore, the accuracy of the orbit solutions is determined by solution comparison and overlap analysis as about tens of meters. Through these analyses, the ability of the DSODS to provide proper orbit solutions for the KPLO are proved.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.295-308
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• 2018

In this study, orbit determination (OD) simulation for the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) was accomplished for investigation of the observational arc-length effect using a sequential estimation algorithm. A lunar polar orbit located at 100 km altitude and $90^{\circ}$ inclination was mainly considered for the KPLO mission operation phase. For measurement simulation and OD for KPLO, the Analytical Graphics Inc. Systems Tool Kit 11 and Orbit Determination Tool Kit 6 software were utilized. Three deep-space ground stations, including two deep space network (DSN) antennas and the Korea Deep Space Antenna, were configured for the OD simulation. To investigate the arc-length effect on OD, 60-hr, 48-hr, 24-hr, and 12-hr tracking data were prepared. Position uncertainty by error covariance and orbit overlap precision were used for OD performance evaluation. Additionally, orbit prediction (OP) accuracy was also assessed by the position difference between the estimated and true orbits. Finally, we concluded that the 48-hr-based OD strategy is suitable for effective flight dynamics operation of KPLO. This work suggests a useful guideline for the OD strategy of KPLO mission planning and operation during the nominal lunar orbits phase.