• Title/Summary/Keyword: lunar gravity

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Analysis Distribution and Feature of Lunar Gravity Field Using SGM90d Model (SGM90d모델을 이용한 달 중력장 분포 및 특징 분석)

  • Huang, He;Yun, Hong-Sic;Lee, Dong-Ha
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Surveying, Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.129-138
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    • 2009
  • The lunar gravity field is an important source to understand the lunar interior structure, dichotomy and magma ocean of the moon, furthermore it can be used to study the origin and evolution history of the moon. In this paper, we firstly investigated the history of lunar exploration were performed for determining the lunar gravity field, in addition to investigating the procedure of progress related with the lunar gravity field model and gravity observations techniques. After, we determined practically the gravity anomalies of the moon using the new lunar gravity model, SGM90d (SELENE Gravity Model), which were developed by processing the tracking data from SELENE, the japanese lunar mission. Finally, we compared the lunar gravity anomalies from SGM90d model to the those from existing lunar gravity model (LP165P). As results from the comparison, we can make a sense that 4-way Doppler observations of SELENE is very effective to measure the gravity field on the farside of the moon. The precise lunar gravity field model including the farside of the moon which can be more helpful to understand the dichotomy of moon and to establish the detailed distribution of lunar gravity field, such as a mascon.

Development of Precise Lunar Orbit Propagator and Lunar Polar Orbiter's Lifetime Analysis

  • Song, Young-Joo;Park, Sang-Young;Kim, Hae-Dong;Sim, Eun-Sup
    • Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.97-106
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    • 2010
  • To prepare for a Korean lunar orbiter mission, a precise lunar orbit propagator; Yonsei precise lunar orbit propagator (YSPLOP) is developed. In the propagator, accelerations due to the Moon's non-spherical gravity, the point masses of the Earth, Moon, Sun, Mars, Jupiter and also, solar radiation pressures can be included. The developed propagator's performance is validated and propagation errors between YSPOLP and STK/Astrogator are found to have about maximum 4-m, in along-track direction during 30 days (Earth's time) of propagation. Also, it is found that the lifetime of a lunar polar orbiter is strongly affected by the different degrees and orders of the lunar gravity model, by a third body's gravitational attractions (especially the Earth), and by the different orbital inclinations. The reliable lifetime of circular lunar polar orbiter at about 100 km altitude is estimated to have about 160 days (Earth's time). However, to estimate the reasonable lifetime of circular lunar polar orbiter at about 100 km altitude, it is strongly recommended to consider at least $50\;{\times}\;50$ degrees and orders of the lunar gravity field. The results provided in this paper are expected to make further progress in the design fields of Korea's lunar orbiter missions.

The Effects of Moon's Uneven Mass Distribution on the Critical Inclinations of a Lunar Orbiter

  • Rahoma, Walid A.;Abd El-Salam, Fawzy A.
    • Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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    • v.31 no.4
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    • pp.285-294
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    • 2014
  • The uneven mass distribution of the Moon highly perturbs the lunar spacecrafts. This uneven mass distribution leads to peculiar dynamical features of the lunar orbiters. The critical inclination is the value of inclination which keeps the deviation of the argument of pericentre from the initial values to be zero. Considerable investigations have been performed for critical inclination when the gravity field is assumed to be symmetric around the equator, namely for oblate gravity field to which Earth's satellites are most likely to be subjected. But in the case of a lunar orbiter, the gravity field of mass distribution is rather asymmetric, that is, sectorial, and tesseral, harmonic coefficients are big enough so they can't be neglected. In the present work, the effects of the first sectorial and tesseral harmonic coefficients in addition to the first zonal harmonic coefficients on the critical inclination of a lunar artificial satellite are investigated. The study is carried out using the Hamiltonian framework. The Hamiltonian of the problem is cconstructed and the short periodic terms are eliminated using Delaunay canonical variables. Considering the above perturbations, numerical simulations for a hypothetical lunar orbiter are presented. Finally, this study reveals that the critical inclination is quite different from the critical inclination of traditional sense and/or even has multiple solutions. Consequently, different families of critical inclination are obtained and analyzed.

Multiple revolution Lunar Trajectory Design using Impulsive Thrust

  • Kang, Hye-Young;Song, Young-Joo;Park, Sang-Young;Choi, Kyu-Hong;Sim, Eun-Sup
    • Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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    • 2008.10a
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    • pp.25.3-26
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    • 2008
  • The direct way to the moon is to start from the parking orbit by using impulsive thruster In previous domestic research, the direct way has been studied by using a single impulsive shot. However, when a single impulsive shot occurs to go into a Translunar orbit, gravity losses occur because thruster is not impulsive shot but the finite burns and it causes the gravity losses. To make up for the weak point of a single impulsive shot, this paper divides TLI (Trans Lunar Injection) into several small burns. Therefore, departure loop trajectory and the Translunar trajectory. This method is useful not only to reduce the gravity losses but also to check the condition of satellite. By using this method, this paper demostrates the optimized trajectory from Earth parking orbit to lunar mission orbit which minimizes the fuel, and the SNOPT (Sparse Nonlinear OPTimizer software) is used to find optimal solution. Also, this paper provides lunar mission profile which includes the mission schedule when TLI, LOI (Lunar Orbit Insertion) maneuvers occur, a mount of fuel when thruster is used and other mission parameters.

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A Study of the Potential Shelters in the Lunar Lava Tubes (달 동굴의 잠재적 주거환경에 관한 연구)

  • Oh, Jongwoo
    • Journal of Satellite, Information and Communications
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.41-49
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    • 2017
  • This paper will describe lunar lava tubes' five analyzed fields, such as geology, geomorphology, internal configuration, stability, communication and habitats requirements. This research gets through qualitative and qualitative data analysis as following results. A huge size and configuration differences between lunar lava tubes and earth one on geology and landform environments. Exo-genetics activities, such as meteorites, radiation, and sudden temperature bigger affect than Endo-genetic activities, such as effusion and earthquake of the lunar lava tubes. Landform and internal configuration of the lunar lava tubes due to the huge cave perilous landform that gravity difference have a technical limitation from internal approach and data obtain of the huge skylights and sinuous rilles. Stability of the lunar lava tubes deals with geology and landform. It was obvious geo-structural stability elements results generated on low rate of collapsed halls(skylights), low gravity, and relatively thick covers. In terms of the communication capability on the external and internal lunar lava tubes cordless communication techniques will overcome limitations of the sun-power generates supporting communication systems. Through this research it realized obvious differs between potential habitats possibility by accumulative theories by scholars and techniques of the lunar lava tubes. Especially, it is a favorable expectation throughout overcoming attempt on zero gravity, cosmo radiation, lunar dust of the exo-genetic limitations to the steep escarpment of skylights to approach and achieve techniques by the civil engineering, networking and GIS techniques as the endo-genetic environment treatment.

Design of Orbit Simulation Tool for Lunar Navigation Satellite System

  • Hojoon Jeong;Jaeuk Park;Junwon Song;Minjae Kang;Changdon Kee
    • Journal of Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
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    • v.12 no.4
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    • pp.335-342
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    • 2023
  • Lunar Navigation Satellite System refers to a constellation of satellite providing PNT services on the moon. LNSS consists of main satellite and navigation satellites. Navigation satellites orbiting around the moon and a main satellite moves the area between the moon and the L2 point. The navigation satellite performs the same role as the Earth's GNSS satellite, and the main satellite communicates with the Earth for time synchronization. Due to the effect of the non-uniform shape of the moon, it is necessary to focus on the influence of the lunar gravitational field when designing the orbit simulation for navigation satellite. Since the main satellite is farther away from the moon than the navigation satellite, both the earth's gravity and the moon's gravity must be considered simultaneously when designing the orbit simulation for main satellite. Therefore, the main satellite orbit simulation must be designed through the three-body problem between the Earth, the moon, and the main satellite. In this paper, the orbit simulation tool for main satellite and navigation satellite required for LNSS was designed. The orbit simulation considers the environment characteristics of the moon. As a result of comparing long-term data (180 days) with the commercial program GMAT, it was confirmed that there was an error of about 1 m.

Dynamics of Extra-Vehicular Activities in Low-Gravity Surface Environments

  • Spencer, David A.;Gast, Matthew A.
    • International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.11-18
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    • 2013
  • Human spaceflight experience in extra-vehicular activity (EVA) is limited to two regimes: the micro-gravity environment of Earth orbit, and the lunar surface environment at one-sixth of Earth's gravity. Future human missions to low-gravity bodies, including asteroids, comets, and the moons of Mars, will require EVA techniques that are beyond the current experience base. In order to develop robust approaches for exploring these small bodies, the dynamics associated with human exploration on low-gravity surface must be characterized. This paper examines the translational and rotational motion of an astronaut on the surface of a small body, and it is shown that the low-gravity environment will pose challenges to the surface mobility of an astronaut, unless new tools and EVA techniques are developed. Possibilities for addressing these challenges are explored, and utilization of the International Space Station to test operational concepts and hardware in preparation for a low-gravity surface EVA is discussed.

Trajectory and Attitude Control for a Lunar lander Using a Reference Model (2nd Report)

  • Abe, Akio;Uchiyama, Kenji;Shimada, Yuzo
    • 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 2003.10a
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    • pp.531-536
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    • 2003
  • In this paper, a redesigned guidance and control system for a lunar lander is presented. In past studies, the authors developed a trajectory and attitude control system which achieves the vertical soft landing on the lunar surface. It is confirmed that the system has a good tracking ability to a predefined profile and good robustness against a thruster failure mode where a partial failure of clustered engines was assumed. However, under the previous control laws, the landing point tends to be shifted, in response to the system parameter values, from a target point. Also, an unbalanced moment due to a thruster failure mode was not considered in the simulation. Therefore, in this study, the downrange control is added to the system to enable the vehicle to land at a pre-assigned target point accurately. Furthermore, inhibiting the effect of the unbalanced moment is attempted thorough redesigning the attitude control system. A numerical simulation was performed to confirm the ability of the proposed system with regard to the above problems. Moreover, in the past simulations, a low initial altitude was assumed as an initial condition: in this study, however, the performance of the proposed system is examined over the whole trajectory from an initial altitude of 10 [km] to the lunar surface.

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Frozen Orbits Construction for a Lunar Solar Sail

  • Khattab, Elamira Hend;Radwan, Mohamed;Rahoma, Walid Ali
    • Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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    • v.37 no.1
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2020
  • Frozen orbit is an attractive option for orbital design owing to its characteristics (its argument of pericenter and eccentricity are kept constant on an average). Solar sails are attractive solutions for massive and expensive missions. However, the solar radiation pressure effect represents an additional force on the solar sail that may greatly affect its orbital behavior in the long run. Thus, this force must be included as a perturbation force in the dynamical model for more accuracy. This study shows the calculations of initial conditions for a lunar solar sail frozen orbit. The disturbing function of the problem was developed to include the lunar gravitational field that is characterized by uneven mass distribution, third body perturbation, and the effect of solar radiation. An averaging technique was used to reduce the dynamical problem to a long period system. Lagrange planetary equations were utilized to formulate the rate of change of the argument of pericenter and eccentricity. Using the reduced system, frozen orbits for the Moon sail orbiter were constructed. The resulting frozen orbits are shown by two 3Dsurface (semi-major, eccentricity, inclination) figures. To simplify the analysis, we showed inclination-eccentricity contours for different values of semi-major axis, argument of pericenter, and values of sail lightness number.

Virtual Flight Test for Conceptual Lunar Lander Demonstrator (달 착륙선 개념설계형상 검증모델 가상비행시험)

  • Lee, Won-Beom;Rew, Dong-Young
    • Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.87-93
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    • 2013
  • The conceptual design lunar lander demonstrator has been developed to use as a test bed for advanced spacecraft technologies and to test a prototype planetary lander capable of vertical takeoff and landing. Size of the lunar lander demonstrator is the same as that of lunar lander conceptually designed, however, the weight of lunar lander demonstrator is designed in 1/6 scale in consideration of gravity difference between moon and earth. The thruster clustering and virtual flight test were performed in the demonstrator fixed on the ground. The demonstrator ground test has been conducted for two months in the test site for the solid motor combustion of the Goheung Flight Center. The purposes of ground test of demonstrator are to demonstrate and verify essential electronics, propulsion system, control algorithm, embedded software, structure and system operation technologies before developing the flight model lander. This paper is described about the virtual flight test including test configuration, test aims and test facilities