Architecture Trades for Accessing Small Bodies with an Autonomous Small Spacecraft

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Architecture Trades for Accessing Small Bodies with an Autonomous Small Spacecraft Architecture Trades for Accessing Small Bodies with an Autonomous Small Spacecraft Sandro Papais Benjamin Hockman Dept. of Mechanical Engineering Jet Propulsion Laboratory McGill University California Institute of Technology Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada Pasadena, CA, 91109 +1-514-979-2593 +1-626-639-5505 [email protected] [email protected] Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay Reza Karimi Jet Propulsion Laboratory Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, 91109 Pasadena, CA, 91109 +1-626-318-4174 +1818-354-6611 [email protected] [email protected] Shyam Bhaskaran Issa Nesnas Jet Propulsion Laboratory Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA, 91109 Pasadena, CA, 91109 +1818-354-3152 +1-818-354-9709 [email protected] [email protected] Abstract—Characterizing the composition, properties, and en- 8. CONCLUSION ...................................... 17 vironments of Small Bodies is key to understanding the origins ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................ 17 and processes of the Solar System. Traditionally our knowledge has been limited to ground observation and select few missions REFERENCES ......................................... 17 which cannot fully characterize the diversity of Small Bodies. BIOGRAPHY .......................................... 19 Advances in miniaturized spacecraft technologies have recently enabled small spacecraft to perform missions in deep space, as demonstrated by Mars Cube One in 2018. Additional missions 1. INTRODUCTION are being developed to further mature these technologies and Small Bodies, including Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), aster- expand their capabilities. We investigate a new approach to oids, and comets, are numerous and diverse in their com- exploring Small Bodies, where standalone small spacecrafts can position and origin. Small Bodies are high-priority targets be used as a more affordable approach to autonomously nav- igate, rendezvous, and characterize them. We review relevant for origins science, human exploration, in situ resource uti- mission concept studies, required technologies, available targets, lization, and planetary defense. To date, observations of architecture trade offs, and baseline mission design options. Small Bodies have consisted of broad surveys from ground We show that using near-term technologies, available in less telescopes and a few missions to rendezvous and characterize than 3 years, it is possible for a standalone small spacecraft select ones in detail such as NEAR Shoemaker, Hayabusa, to rendezvous with several Small Bodies. It was found that Rosetta, OSIRIS-REx (shown in Figure 1), and Hayabusa a 24 kg and 180 kg spacecraft would be capable of delivering 2. From these observations and missions, the diversity of payloads of 1.5 kg and 10 kg respectively to several interesting Small-Body populations has become apparent. However, the near-Earth asteroids candidates. Critical enabling technologies diversity cannot be fully characterized from ground surveys were identified as highly-capable (delta-V>3 km/s) miniature electric propulsion system, high-efficiency (power density>100 or the limited number of space missions that have flown. W/kg) deployable solar arrays, and improved onboard au- tonomy algorithms. Advances in miniaturized instruments, high-performance radiation-tolerant avionics, and interplane- tary communications systems can also be leveraged. In the long term, this architecture could enable a fleet of standardized autonomous small spacecraft to perform a cursory exploration of a representative sample of the Small Body population. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................1 2. INTERPLANETARY SMALL SPACECRAFT STATE OF PRACTICE ...........................................3 3. PRELIMINARY MISSION AND TARGETS ANALYSIS .6 4. LAUNCH OPPORTUNITIES AND EARTH ESCAPE ....8 Figure 1. Artist’s representation of the OSIRIS-REx 5. ENABLING SUBSYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES .....9 spacecraft at near-Earth asteroid Bennu [1]. 6. SPACECRAFT ARCHITECTURE TRADE SPACE .... 13 7. REFERENCE MISSION DESIGN .................... 15 Only five missions have currently attempted to operate for extended periods of time in close proximity to such Small 978-1-7281-2734-7/20/$31:00 c 2020 IEEE Bodies. The difficulties encountered by these missions high- 1 light the challenges involved in operating in this resource- diverse population. constrained, largely uncertain, and dynamic environment. Autonomy has been shown to be essential for current mis- In order to address gaps in autonomy required for sustained sions operating in this environment, in particular for fast fly- operation with limited ground interaction, several new ca- bys and touch and go (TAG), but has only been demonstrated pabilities are needed. One particularly difficult challenge is in limited cases. More capable autonomy will enable more during spacecraft approach. Traditionally, when a spacecraft missions to reach and explore a wider range of diverse bodies. approaches a Small Body it periodically images the target to aid in target-relative navigation. A number of algorithms Small spacecrafts, defined as 180 kg wet mass or less, typ- and techniques, like Stereo-Photo-Clinometry (SPC), have ically have shorter development cycles, smaller teams, and been developed to navigate and characterize the body once consequently lower costs. CubeSats are a subset of small the body is 1000s of pixels in area. However, there is also spacecrafts made of units (U) where 1U is a 10 cm × 10 valuable information even when the Small Body is 10s-100s cm × 11.35 cm cuboid. CubeSats have the added advantage of pixels in area. of standardized form-factor and deployment containers which simplify integration. By incorporating recent improvements To address these gaps, we have developed a multi-phased ap- in software and hardware it has been possible for many proach to estimate the physical (size and shape) and dynam- groups to achieve high capability in small packages, driving ical (rotation rate and pole) properties of an unknown Small interest and growth in small spacecrafts. Whereas 700 small Body in previous work [4] (shown in Figure 2). In Phase 1, spacecraft were launch from 2006-2015 it is expected 3,600 when the body is one to a few pixels in span we can estimate will be launched in the subsequent decade (2016-2025) [2]. the Small Body’s periodicity of rotation from variations in the pixel intensity light curve. In Phase 2, when the Small Body Almost the entirety of the small spacecraft missions have is 5 to 50 pixels in span we can use the its silhouette to resolve been earth orbiting. However, the advances in miniaturized an initial shape, given estimates of periodicity from Phase 1. technologies and science instruments have also enabled the During Phase 3 the surface features become more resolved possibility for small spacecraft to perform challenging in- and we can use landmark-based mapping techniques to refine terplanetary missions. Small spacecraft have potential to the geometry and rotation. The information in each phase is reach numerous destinations, such as Small Bodies, for novel also used to refine the spacecraft’s trajectory. mission concepts and targeted planetary science investiga- tions. Even deep-space CubeSats are becoming capable In this paper, we focus on assessing the feasibility of a space- to make unique planetary science contribution by comple- craft architecture to facilitate access and characterization menting larger missions through unique vantage points and of Small Bodies. Previous interplanetary small spacecraft multipoint measurements, performing high-risk science, or missions flown and in development are reviewed in Section 2 exploring new and unknown destinations [3]. along with relevant concepts studies. A method for prelim- inary mission and target analysis are presented in Section 3 By combining autonomy and small-spacecraft capabilities, and Section 4 to limit architecture options, guide initial a diverse population could be more affordably explored in requirements, and reduce the design space. In Section 5, key larger numbers. With numerous spacecraft and destinations subsystem options to facilitate the mission are reviewed and and limited ground communications capacity, such assets the overall performance envelopes are outlined. A cohesive would have to rely on on-board decision-making. This set of baseline architectures are developed and key trade- would allow the ground operations to focus on higher-level offs are assessed across the design space in Section 6. Two management of parallel missions. As a result, this can enable architecture point designs are presented in Section 7 and a full more in-depth investigations of the Small Body population’s trajectory optimization and mission design is discussed for heterogeneous compositions, developing a better understand- one NEA target. Finally, the paper is concluded in Section 8. ing of their origin. Ultimately this could lead to a game- changer in our ability to conduct precursor missions, in situ science investigations, and in our understanding of this Figure 2. A multi-phased sequence of algorithms to estimate the physical and dynamical parameters of a Small Body. 2 2. INTERPLANETARY SMALL SPACECRAFT (ESPA) ring. At this time only two small spacecraft missions, STATE OF PRACTICE PROCYON and MarCO, have operated in deep space.
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