Browsing by Subject "Lunar"
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Item Analysis and order reduction of an autonomous lunar lander navigation system(2009-08) Newman, Clark Patrick; Bishop, Robert H., 1957-; Akella, Maruthi R.A navigation system for precision lunar descent and landing is presented and analyzed. The navigation algorithm is based upon the extended Kalman Filter and employs measurements from an inertial measurement unit to propagate the vehicle position, velocity, and attitude forward in time. External measurements from an altimeter, star camera, terrain camera, and velocimeter are utilized in state estimate updates. The navigation algorithm also attempts to estimate the values of uncertain parameters associated with the sensors. The navigation algorithm also estimates the map-tie angle of the landing site which is a measure of the misalignment of the actual landing site location on the surface of the Moon versus the estimated position of the landing site. The navigation algorithm is subject to a sensitivity analysis which investigates the contribution of each error source to the total estimation performance of the navigation system. Per the results of the sensitivity analysis, it is found that certain error sources need not be actively estimated to achieve similar estimation performance at a reduced computational burden. A new, reduced-order system is presented and tested through covariance analysis and a monte carlo analysis. The new system is shown to have comparable estimation performance at a fraction of the computer run-time, making it more suitable for a real-time implementation.Item Lunar environmental systems(1967-05) Traylor, Charles R.Item Parametric study of LCROSS impact plume(2013-12) Lamb, Justin Meredith; Goldstein, David Benjamin, doctor of aeronauticsIn 2009, NASA's LCROSS mission impacted Cabeus Crater near the Lunar South Pole with the spent Centaur upper stage rocket. The impact was observed by the trailing sheperding spacecraft (S-S/C) that impacted the moon 250 seconds after the Centaur impact. The main objective of the LCROSS mission was to verify the existence of water ice in the lunar regolith---the subsequent analysis of the data confirmed water ice present in the crater. The analysis of the S-S/C instrument data suggested that the plume consisted of two components: a central "spike" component and a thin, outward "cone" component. A model has been developed at The University of Texas at Austin improve the analysis of the data obtained by the S-S/C. This model is created with a free-molecular ballistic grain code that involves simulating individual regolith grains in the debris plume through grain-heating and grain-movement models and then modeling the spectral radiance properties of the grains as observed by the S-S/C. Mie scattering theory is used to model scattering and absorption of incoming solar radiation by the particles in the plume assuming they are perfect spheres. The UT LCROSS code was utilized in a parametric study that evaluated the effect of variations in assumed model plume parameters on the modeling of S-S/C UV-VIS instrument observations. The plume parameters were chosen based on the assumption that the dust plume was split into two components: a central spike and a surrounding high angle cone. The following parameters were varied: the spike and cone angles, the spike and cone grain radius distributions, and the spike mass fraction. The following parameters could be varied but were given fixed values: ice fraction between plume components, ice grain purity, albedo, and ice fraction in plume. The impact of these plume parameters upon plume brightness and blue/red color ratio was determined. Two grain models were used. In the initial grain species model all grains have a soil core surrounded by a thin ice shell. In the second, two species model two grain types were utilized: a pure ice grain component and a pure soil grain component.Item Use of raw Martian and Lunar soils for surface-based reactor shielding(2010-12) Christian, Jose L. 1963-; Landsberger, SheldonFor several decades, the idea of flying and landing a less-than-man-rated nuclear reactor for planetary surface applications has been considered. This approach promises significant mass savings and therefore reduction in launch cost. To compensate for the lack of shielding, it has been suggested the use of in-situ materials for providing radiation protection. This would take the form of either raw dirt walls or processed soil materials into blocks or tile elements. As a first step in determining the suitability of this approach, it is necessary to understand the neutron activation characteristics of these soils. A simple assessment of these activation characteristics was conducted for both Martian and Lunar soils using ORIGEN2.2. An average composition for these soils was assumed. As a baseline material, commonly used NBS-03 concrete was compared against the soils. Preliminary results indicate that over 2.5 times more gamma-radiation production of these soils vs. concrete took place during the irradiation phase (a baseline of 2.4 x 1011 neutrons/sec-cm2 was assumed). This was due primarily to radiative capture on Na23 and Mn55 and subsequent decay of their activation products. This is does not necessarily disqualify these materials as potential shielding material since the -radiation output was only in the order of 4.2 x 108 photons/cm3-sec. Furthermore, these soils did not show any significant activity after shutdown of the neutron source (the reactor), since all activation products had very short half lives. Their performance in this area was comparable to that of NBS-03 concrete.