• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.46.1-46.1
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• 2019

우리나라 최초의 우주탐사 사업인 달 탐사선(KPLO) 개발 사업에는 국내에서 개발하는 과학 탑재체 3기, 기술 검증탑재체 1기, 고해상도 카메라 1기, 국제협력의 일환으로 NASA의 과학 탑재체 1기도 함께 개발되고 있다. KPLO와 이들 탑재체의 운영을 수행하게 될 KPLO 심우주 지상시스템은 달 탐사선 운영에 필요한 궤도, 임무계획 등의 정보를 생성하고, KPLO의 기동명령과 상태정보를 송, 수신하는 역할을 주요 임무로 수행한다. 또한 이들 정보를 기반으로 궤도임무를 수행하고 있는 KPLO의 임무운영 상태를 시각화하여 운영자로 하여금 KPLO 운영을 용이하게 하고, 공공에게 이를 제공하는 역할도 함께 수행한다. KPLO 심우주 지상시스템은 AGI사의 STK와 NASA/JPL에서 개발한 Cosmographia를 활용하여 각각 특성에 맞는 KPLO 운영 시각화 정보를 제공할 것이다. 본 발표에서는 Cosmographia의 작동 및 활용 개념을 설명하고, KPLO의 가상 임무를 적용한 SPICE Kernels을 활용하여 고해상도 카메라인 LUTI의 지향, 달 중심 표준좌표를 적용한 KPLO의 궤도 등을 시각화 시연을 한다. 또한 고해상도 달 표면 영상 적용, 심우주 네트워크 안테나의 위치 정보표출 등 Cosmographia에서 기본적으로 제공하던 시각화 정보를 개선한 내용에 대해서도 함께 시연한다.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2021

This technical paper deals the practical transformation algorithms between several lunar reference frames which will be used for Korea pathfinder lunar orbiter (KPLO) flight operation. Despite of various lunar reference frame definitions already exist, use of a common transformation algorithm while establishing lunar reference frame is very important for all members related to KPLO mission. This is because use of slight different parameters during frame transformation may result significant misleading while reprocessing data based on KPLO flight dynamics. Therefore, details of practical transformation algorithms for the KPLO mission specific lunar reference frames is presented with step by step implementation procedures. Examples of transformation results are also presented to support KPLO flight dynamics data user community which is expected to give practical guidelines while post processing the data as their needs. With this technical paper, common understandings of reference frames that will be used throughout not only the KPLO flight operation but also science data reprocessing can be established. It is expected to eliminate, or at least minimize, unnecessary confusion among all of the KPLO mission members including: Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as well as other organizations participating in KPLO payload development and operation, or further lunar science community world-wide who are interested in KPLO science data post processing.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.199-208
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• 2020

This paper presents a kinematic ephemeris generator for Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) and its performance test results. The kinematic ephemeris generator consists of a ground ephemeris compressor and an onboard ephemeris calculator. The ground ephemeris compressor has to compress desired orbit propagation data by using an interpolation method in a ground system. The onboard ephemeris calculator can generate spacecraft ephemeris and the Sun/Moon ephemeris in onboard computer of the KPLO. Among many interpolation methods, polynomial interpolation with uniform node, Chebyshev interpolation, Hermite interpolation are tested for their performances. As a result of the test, it is shown that all the methods have some cases that meet requirements but there are some performance differences. It is also confirmed that, the Chebyshev interpolation shows better performance than other methods for spacecraft ephemeris generation, and the polynomial interpolation with uniform nodes yields good performance for the Sun/Moon ephemeris generation. Based on these results, a Kinematic ephemeris generator is developed for the KPLO mission. Then, the developed ephemeris generator can find an approximating function using interpolation method considering the size and accuracy of the data to be transmitted.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.4
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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.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.181-194
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• 2022

Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), also known as Danuri, was successfully launched on 4 Aug. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using a Space-X Falcon-9 rocket. Flight dynamics (FD) operational readiness was one of the critical parts to be checked before the flight. To demonstrate FD software's readiness and enhance the operator's contingency response capabilities, KPLO FD specialists planned, organized, and conducted four simulations and two rehearsals before the KPLO launch. For the efficiency and integrity of FD simulation and rehearsal, different sets of blind test data were prepared, including the simulated tracking measurements that incorporated dynamical model errors, maneuver execution errors, and other errors associated with a tracking system. This paper presents the simulation and rehearsal results with lessons learned for the KPLO FD operational readiness checkout. As a result, every functionality of FD operation systems is firmly secured based on the operation procedure with an enhancement of contingency operational response capability. After conducting several simulations and rehearsals, KPLO FD specialists were much more confident in the flight teams' ability to overcome the challenges in a realistic flight and FD software's reliability in flying the KPLO. Moreover, the results of this work will provide numerous insights to the FD experts willing to prepare deep space flight operations.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.40 no.2
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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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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2018

In this study, the performance of ranging techniques for the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) space communication system is investigated. KPLO is the first lunar mission of Korea, and pseudo-noise (PN) ranging will be used to support the mission along with sequential ranging. We compared the performance of both ranging techniques using the criteria of accuracy, acquisition probability, and measurement time. First, we investigated the end-to-end accuracy error of a ranging technique incorporating all sources of errors such as from ground stations and the spacecraft communication system. This study demonstrates that increasing the clock frequency of the ranging system is not required when the dominant factor of accuracy error is independent of the thermal noise of the ranging technique being used in the system. Based on the understanding of ranging accuracy, the measurement time of PN and sequential ranging are further investigated and compared, while both techniques satisfied the accuracy and acquisition requirements. We demonstrated that PN ranging performed better than sequential ranging in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime where KPLO will be operating, and we found that the T2B (weighted-voting balanced Tausworthe, voting v = 2) code is the best choice among the PN codes available for the KPLO mission.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.59.2-59.2
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• 2021

현재 우리나라는 달탐사 개발 사업을 통하여 2022년 8월 발사를 목표로 달 궤도선인 KPLO와 과학임무 및 기술검증 임무를 수행하게 될 임무 탑재체, 임무 수행을 위한 각종 소프트웨어의 개발, 궤도/궤적의 설계 등 일련의 개발 과정을 순조롭게 수행하고 있다. 또한 달 궤도선인 KPLO와 이들 탑재체에 대한 운영과 관제를 수행하는 KPLO 심우주 지상국도 일정에 따라 개발 막바지에 접어들고 있다. 특히 KPLO 심우주 지상국에는 우리나라 대학과 정부출연연구소에 의해서 개발되는 과학탑재체 4기가 달 궤도에서 과학임무를 수행하여 얻게되는 달 탐사 과학자료, 즉, 과학임무자료를 달 탐사에 직접 참여하는 과학자들뿐만 아니라 일반인들도 교육 및 연구에 활용할 수 있도록 달 탐사 과학자료의 저장, 공개, 관리를 위한 Archive system인 KARI Planetary Data System(KPDS)도 함께 개발되고 있다. KPDS는 전문 연구자와 일반인들이 별도의 교육없이 인터넷을 통하여 쉽게 접속하여 KPLO의 과학탑재체가 획득한 달 탐사 과학자료를 검색하여 내려받아 사용할 수 있도록 서비스를 제공할 예정이다. 본 논문에서는 과학탑재체 개발기관 소속의 연구자가 달 탐사 과학자료에 대한 검보정 처리와 과학적 분석을 수행하기 위해서 텔레메트리 형태의 원본형태의 과학자료를 KPDS로부터 다운로드 받는 과정과 검보정 처리가 된 과학자료를 일반 사용자들이 내려 받아 사용할 수 있도록 과학자료가 공개되기까지 일련의 과정을 설명하고, 연구자 및 일반사용자가 직접 접하게 되는 KPDS의 주요한 사용자 환경에 대해서 설명한다.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.66.1-66.1
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• 2020

우리나라는 최초의 우주탐사선이자 달탐사선인 KPLO를 2022년 8월에 발사할 예정이다. KPLO에는 6기의 임무탑재체가 실리게 되며, 이중 4개의 탑재체는 국내의 대학과 정부출연연구소에서 개발하여 달 표면과 주변 우주환경에 대한 과학임무를 수행하게 된다. 이들 국내에서 개발된 과학탑재체가 달 궤도에서 획득한 Data, 즉 과학자료는 지상국에서 수신하여 이를 처리하여 과학연구 혹은 교육 목적으로 활용될 것으로 예상된다. 이러한 태양계 탐사 과학임무로 부터 획득된 과학자료는 과학의 공익성과 연구교류 활성화를 위해서 국제적으로 대중에게 공개하고 있다. 이에 KPDS도 일반 사용자들이 인터넷으로 이들 과학자료를 쉽게 검색하고 다운로드 받을 수 있도록 한국항공우주연구원에서는 KARI Planetary Data System(KPDS)를 구축하고 있으며, 일반에게 공개할 예정이다. KPDS는 단순히 과학자료를 제공하는 것에서 그치지 않고, 이들 과학자료가 NASA에서 개발한 PDS4 표준을 준수하고 있는지 검증함으로써 세계 각국의 타 우주관련 기관과 상호활용이 용이하도록 하여 활용성을 높은 과학자료로 관리하게 된다. 또한 이러한 PDS4 표준 준수여부를 검증함으로써 KPLO 이후 우리나라에서 수행하게 될 미래의 우주탐사 과학임무로부터 획득될 과학자료도 저장, 공개를 할 수 있도록 KPDS는 범용성을 고려하여 개발하고 있다.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.293-306
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• 2019

In this study, the observational arc-length effect on orbit determination (OD) for the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) in the Earth-Moon Transfer phase was investigated. For the OD, we employed a sequential estimation using the extended Kalman filter and a fixed-point smoother. The mission periods, comprised between the perigee maneuvers (PM) and the lunar orbit insertion (LOI) maneuver in a 3.5 phasing loop of the KPLO, was the primary target. The total period was divided into three phases: launch-PM1, PM1-PM3, and PM3-LOI. The Doppler and range data obtained from three tracking stations [included in the deep space network (DSN) and Korea Deep Space Antenna (KDSA)] were utilized for the OD. Six arc-length cases (24 hrs, 48 hrs, 60 hrs, 3 days, 4 days, and 5 days) were considered for the arc-length effect investigation. In order to evaluate the OD accuracy, we analyzed the position uncertainties, the precision of orbit overlaps, and the position differences between true and estimated trajectories. The maximum performance of 3-day OD approach was observed in the case of stable flight dynamics operations and robust navigation capability. This study provides a guideline for the flight dynamics operations of the KPLO in the trans-lunar phase.