• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.240-252
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• 2016

In this paper, an on-board orbit propagator and compressing trajectory method based on B-spline for a lunar explorer are proposed. An explorer should recognize its own orbit for a successful mission operation. Generally, orbit determination is periodically performed at the ground station, and the computed orbit information is subsequently uploaded to the explorer, which would generate a heavy workload for the ground station and the explorer. A high-performance computer at the ground station is employed to determine the orbit required for the explorer in the parking orbit of Earth. The method not only reduces the workload of the ground station and the explorer, but also increases the orbital prediction accuracy. Then, the data was compressed into coefficients within a given tolerance using B-spline. The compressed data is then transmitted to the explorer efficiently. The data compression is maximized using the proposed methods. The methods are compared with a fifth order polynomial regression method. The results show that the proposed method has the potential for expansion to various deep space probes.

• 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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• 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.

• 항공우주기술
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.96-107
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• 2014

한국항공우주연구원(이하, 항우연)은 2017년에 시험용 달 궤도선을 2020년에 달 궤도선 및 착륙선 발사를 계획하고 있다. 달 궤도선이 달 궤도 진입(LOI) 기동을 수행할 경우 온 보드에 탑재된 유한 분사 방식의 추력기를 이용하기 때문에 임무계획 단계에서 이러한 내용을 고려하여 LOI 기동 전략을 수립해야 한다. 유한 분사 모델을 이용한 LOI 기동 전략 및 요구되는 속도증분(${\Delta}V$)은 분사시점의 위성 자세, 추진체의 종류, 추력기의 추력 레벨 및 분사 시점에 따라서 달라진다. 본 논문은 해외 우주국 달 궤도선의 LOI 기동 사례를 기술하고, 이를 기반으로 한국형 달 궤도선의 LOI 기동 전략을 구체화 하였다. 또한 이와 관련된 시뮬레이션을 수행함으로써 한국형 달 궤도선에 적합한 추력 레벨 및 분사 시점 등을 도출하였다.

• 한국항공우주학회지
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• 제43권11호
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• pp.984-997
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• 2015

달 착륙선과 탐사 로버로 구성된 창어 3호는 2013년 12월 1일 시창 위성 발사 센터에서 장정 3B 발사체를 이용하여 발사되었다. 약 5일의 직접 전이궤적을 지나 달 궤도에 진입한 창어 3호는 달의 공전궤도에서 약 8일간 머무르다가 달 표면에 성공적으로 착륙하였다. 창어 3호의 성공적인 착륙은 한국의 달 탐사선 개발이 예정된 상황에서 향후 필요한 서브시스템의 기술 등을 분석하고, 발사에서 달 착륙까지의 궤적 및 운영 시퀀스 등을 도출하는데 많은 도움이 된다. 따라서 해외 언론에서 공지된 발사 현황을 바탕으로 창어 3호의 형상 및 전반적인 임무내용을 분석하고 시뮬레이션을 수행하였다. 그 결과 경계조건을 이용하여 제어변수를 추정 및 수렴값을 도출하여 착륙선의 전반적인 궤적을 생성하였다. 또한 이를 기반으로 교신 현황 및 식 현상을 분석하여 교신 및 전력충전이 양호함을 확인하였으며, 속도증분(${\Delta}V$)을 이용하여 비추력에 따른 착륙선의 여유 질량을 도출하였다.

• 한국항공우주학회지
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.69-77
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• 2012

1990년대 들어 달 탐사가 재개 된 후 2000년대부터 세계우주선진국들을 중심으로 달을 선점하기 위한 치열한 달 탐사 경쟁이 벌어지고 있다. 우리나라도 2020년경 자력 달 탐사를 목표로 선행연구를 수행 중에 있다. 본 연구에서는 한국형 달 탐사를 대비하여 지구에서 달로 가는 천이궤적 중 연료 최소화를 위해 다양한 천이궤적의 Delt-V를 비교 분석하였다. 시뮬레이션을 통해 한국형 달 탐사에 가장 적합한 지구-달 천이궤적을 확인하였으며, 실제 한국형 달 탐사시 유용한 자료로 사용될 것이다.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제37권3호
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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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• 제38권2호
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• pp.145-155
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• 2021

In this work, preliminary launch opportunities from NARO Space Center to the Sun-Earth Lagrange point are analyzed. Among five different Sun-Earth Lagrange points, L1 and L2 points are selected as suitable candidates for, respectively, solar and astrophysics missions. With high fidelity dynamics models, the L1 and L2 point targeting problem is formulated regarding the location of NARO Space Center and relevant Target Interface Point (TIP) for each different launch date is derived including launch injection energy per unit mass (C3), Right ascension of the injection orbit Apoapsis Vector (RAV) and Declination of the injection orbit Apoapsis Vector (DAV). Potential launch periods to achieve L1 and L2 transfer trajectory are also investigated regarding coasting characteristics from NARO Space Center. The magnitude of the Lagrange Orbit Insertion (LOI) burn, as well as the Orbit Maintenance (OM) maneuver to maintain more than one year of mission orbit around the Lagrange points, is also derived as an example. Even the current work has been made under many assumptions as there are no specific mission goals currently defined yet, so results from the current work could be a good starting point to extend diversities of future Korean deep-space missions.

• 한국항공우주학회지
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.309-318
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• 2019

한국형 달 궤도선(Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, KPLO)에 탑재되는 달 표면지형 광학관측기(Lunar Terrian Imager, LUTI)의 열설계를 수행하고, 열해석을 통하여 열설계의 건전성을 검증하였다. 달 임무궤도의 열환경은 지구궤도와 달리 달 표면의 IR 복사가 중요하므로 이를 열설계에 반영하여야 한다. 위성 외부에 노출되는 부품이나 모듈은 가능한 MLI로 단열시키지만 경통이나 방열판은 기능상 노출되므로 복사형상계수의 개념을 이용한 thermal shield를 전면에 장착함으로써 IR 복사를 완화시킨다. 태양복사를 거의 받지 않는 방열판의 전면부는 IR 방사율이 중요하며, 경통과 같이 열변형에 취약한 부품은 복사히터를 사용하여 온도구배를 최소화시킨다. 열해석 결과분석을 통하여 LUTI의 열설계는 다양한 상황에서 안정적임을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.255-267
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• 2013

In this research, the ground contact opportunity for the fictitious low lunar orbiter is analyzed to prepare for a future Korean lunar orbiter mission. The ground contact opportunity is basically derived from geometrical relations between the typical ground stations at the Earth, the relative positions of the Earth and Moon, and finally, the lunar orbiter itself. Both the cut-off angle and the orbiter's Line of Sight (LOS) conditions (weather orbiter is located at near or far side of the Moon seen from the Earth) are considered to determine the ground contact opportunities. Four KOMPSAT Ground Stations (KGSs) are assumed to be Korea's future Near Earth Networks (NENs) to support lunar missions, and world-wide separated Deep Space Networks (DSNs) are also included during the contact availability analysis. As a result, it is concluded that about 138 times of contact will be made between the orbiter and the Daejeon station during 27.3 days of prediction time span. If these contact times are converted into contact duration, the duration is found to be about 8.55 days, about 31.31% of 27.3 days. It is discovered that selected four KGSs cannot provide continuous tracking of the lunar orbiter, meaning that international collaboration is necessary to track Korea's future lunar orbiter effectively. Possible combinations of world-wide separated DSNs are also suggested to compensate for the lack of contact availability with only four KGSs, as with primary and backup station concepts. The provided algorithm can be easily modified to support any type of orbit around the Moon, and therefore, the presented results could aid further progress in the design field of Korea's lunar orbiter missions.