• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.284-290
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• 2014

To successfully explore the moon by lunar lander, it is essential to guarantee the safe landing of lunar lander. Therefore, efficient shock absorption system of lunar lander should be designed in order to reduce landing impact force. Also, for more practical design of lunar lander, it is important to consider the effect of lunar regolith. In the line of thought, finite element model of lunar lander considering the effect of lunar regolith is developed. To reduce landing impact force, optimization of shock absorption system for lunar lander has been carried out. In optimization, sequential approximate optimization method based on meta-model is used. Through the result of optimization, it is verified that landing impact force on lunar lander can be efficiently reduced by the present optimization procedure.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.4
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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.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.176-184
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• 2004

The concept of 'the lunar and planetary phases' is very difficult to understand and students may have various misconceptions on this concept. A module drawing the lunar and planetary phases was developed with the application of the simplifying conditions method. The effects of instruction using the module drawing the lunar and planetary phases on the conceptual change and the achievement was investigated in the consideration of learners' characteristics (spatial perception ability, science inquiry ability, required pre-requested learning ability). Findings were as follows: 1) This module was effective for learners' conceptual change and achievement, 2) This module had a positive influence for development the learners' characteristics and conceptual change with the middle level of science inquiry ability, the middle and low level of required pre-requisite learning ability, and middle level of the spatial perception ability.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.30-37
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• 2010

This paper deals with attitude determination and parameter estimation problems for a lunar module. For this we first derive equations of motion for the lunar module by considering allocation locations (configurations) of reaction thruster and a reaction wheel assembly. The lunar module is assumed as a rigid body. In order to include the effect of fuel sloshing on the dynamics of the lunar module, we model it as a spherical pendulum for a simple analysis. For estimating angular rates and moment of inertia of the module, we employ an extended Kalman filter and the least mean square algorithms, respectively. Finally we construct a dynamical model for the lunar module by combining all these elements.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2019

This paper analyzes delta-Vs to maintain an extremely low altitude on the Moon and investigates the possibilities of performing a CubeSat mission. To formulate the station-keeping (SK) problem at an extremely low altitude, current work has utilized real-flight performance proven software, the Systems Tool Kit Astrogator by Analytical Graphics Inc. With a high-fidelity force model, properties of SK maneuver delta-Vs to maintain an extremely low altitude are successfully derived with respect to different sets of reference orbits; of different altitudes as well as deadband limits. The effect of the degree and order selection of lunar gravitational harmonics on the overall SK maneuver strategy is also analyzed. Based on the derived SK maneuver delta-V costs, the possibilities of performing a CubeSat mission are analyzed with the expected mission lifetime by applying the current flight-proven miniaturized propulsion system performances. Moreover, the lunar surface coverage as well as the orbital characteristics of a candidate reference orbit are discussed. As a result, it is concluded that an approximately 15-kg class CubeSat could maintain an orbit (30-50 km reference altitude having ${\pm}10km$ deadband limits) around the Moon for 1-6 months and provide almost full coverage of the lunar surface.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2018

Moon mineralogy mapper ($M^3$)'s work proved that the moon is not completely dry but has some hydroxyl/water. $M^{3{\prime}}s$ data confirmed that the amount of hydroxyl on the lunar surface is inversely related to the measured signal brightness, suggesting the lunar surface is sensitive to temperature by solar insolation. We tested the effect of solar insolation on the local distribution of hydroxyl by using $M^3$ data, and we found that most craters had more hydroxyl in shade areas than in sunlit areas. This means that the local distribution of hydroxyl is absolutely influenced by the amount of sunshine. We investigated the factors affecting differences in hydroxyl; we found that the higher the latitude, the larger the difference during daytime. We also measured the pyroxene content and found that pyroxene affects the amount of hydroxyl, but it does not affect the difference in hydroxyl between sunlit and shaded areas. Therefore, we confirmed that solar insolation plays a significant role in the local distribution of hydroxyl, regardless of surface composition.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.254-257
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• 2011

Two types of thrusters(Descent Control Thruster (DCT) for reducing landing speed and Attitude Control Thruster (ACT) for attitude control) are mounted on the propulsion system of Ground test model lunar lander. In this paper, plume impingement effect and ground effect between DCT Modules are analyzed using numerical method when the impact occurred close to the ground.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.309-316
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• 2013

Since the solar activity, one of the factors influencing on lunar communication systems, is to reach its maximum occurring at 11-year solar cycle in autumn 2013, the solar burst frequency and strength are expected to increase. The solar burst has an effect on earth magnetosphere and causes malfunction, loss of communication, and breakdown of various types of satellites and probes. These problems give rise to huge economic and physical loss. Therefore, we should analyze the effect of solar burst on lunar communications and minimize the expected loss. In this paper, we perform the analysis of the link model and link performance between a land station and a lunar orbiter under the solar burst for orbiter's survivability and stable communication channel operations.