Acta Astronautica

Hardware-in-the-loop Nanosatellite CubeSat a b s t r a c t This paper presents a study of a high rate closed-loop spin controller that uses only electromagnetic coils as actuators. The controller is able to perform spin rate control and simultaneously align the spin axis with the Earth's inertial reference frame. It is implemented, optimised and simulated for a 1-unit CubeSat ESTCube-1 to fulfil its mission requirements: spin the satellite up to 360 deg s À 1 around the z-axis and align its spin axis with the Earth's polar axis with a pointing error of less than 31. The attitude of the satellite is determined using a magnetic field vector, a Sun vector and angular velocity. It is estimated using an Unscented Kalman Filter and controlled using three electromagnetic coils. The algorithm is tested in a simulation environment that includes models of space environment and environmental disturbances, sensor and actuator emulation, attitude estimation, and a model to simulate the time delay caused by on-board calculations. In addition to the normal operation mode, analyses of reduced satellite functionality are performed: significant errors of attitude estimation due to nonoperational Sun sensors; and limited actuator functionality due to two non-operational coils. A hardware-in-the-loop test is also performed to verify on-board software.

A free floating platform is realized with a pneumatic suspension system which enables a two-dimensional test of complex space operations, such as rendezvous and docking. The platform is equipped with a IMU and actuated via cold gas thrusters. In addition, an on-board camera is used to acquire a target and its image is processed for evaluating the control actions needed to reach it. A technique for determining the relative position and velocity with respect to target using the same visual device is proposed and realized. The novel algorithms and relevant experimental results are presented. The tested accuracy of the relative navigation system is not very high, but the guidance algorithm, which is image based and has just a weak dependence on the position information, is robust enough to perform a successful maneuver. The error between the final acquired target image and the desired final target image is of the order of one pixel, notwithstanding all the testbed disturbances.

Interplanetary communication networks comprise orbiters, deep-space relays, and stations on planetary surfaces. These networks must overcome node mobility, constrained resources, and significant propagation delays. Opportunities for wireless contact rely on calculating transmit and receive opportunities, but the Euclideandistance diameter of these networks (measured in light-seconds and light-minutes) precludes node discovery and contact negotiation. Propagation delay may be larger than the line-of-sight contact between nodes. For example, Mars and Earth orbiters may be separated by up to 20.8 min of signal propagation time. Such spacecraft may never share line-of-sight, but may uni-directionally communicate if one orbiter knows the other's future position. The Contact Graph Routing (CGR) approach is a family of algorithms presented to solve the messaging problem of interplanetary communications. These algorithms exploit networks where nodes exhibit deterministic mobility. For CGR, mobility and bandwidth information is pre-configured throughout the network allowing nodes to construct transmit opportunities. Once constructed, routing algorithms operate on this contact graph to build an efficient path through the network. The interpretation of the contact graph, and the construction of a bounded approximate path, is critically important for adoption in operational systems. Brute force approaches, while effective in small networks, are computationally expensive and will not scale. Methods of inferring cycles or other librations within the graph are difficult to detect and will guide the practical implementation of any routing algorithm. This paper presents a mathematical analysis of a multi-destination contact graph algorithm (MD-CGR), demonstrates that it is NP-complete, and proposes realistic constraints that make the problem solvable in polynomial time, as is the case with the originally proposed CGR algorithm. An analysis of path construction to complement hop-by-hop forwarding is presented as the CGR-EB algorithm. Future work is proposed to handle the presence of dynamic changes to the network, as produced by congestion, link disruption, and errors in the contact graph. We conclude that pre-computation, and thus CGR style algorithms, is the only efficient method of routing in a multi-node, multi-path interplanetary network and that algorithmic analysis is the key to its implementation in operational systems.

Studies over the last decade have shown radioisotope-based nuclear electric propulsion to be enhancing and, in some cases, enabling for many potential robotic science missions. Also known as radioisotope electric propulsion (REP), the technology offers the performance advantages of traditional reactor-powered electric propulsion (i.e., high specific impulse propulsion at large distances from the Sun), but with much smaller, affordable spacecraft. Future use of REP requires development of radioisotope power sources with system specific powers well above that of current systems. The US Department of Energy and NASA have developed an advanced Stirling radioisotope generator (ASRG) engineering unit, which was subjected to rigorous flight qualification-level tests in 2008, and began extended lifetime testing later that year. This advancement, along with recent work on small ion thrusters and life extension technology for Hall thrusters, could enable missions using REP sometime during the next decade.

It has been demonstrated that plants can be grown in microgravity, and almost every space programme has included experimental greenhouses to investigate technical and biological feasibility, as well as the habitability-related benefits of plant growth activities in space.

In the present work a preliminary performance study regarding a small hypersonic airplane named HyPlane is presented. It is designed for long duration sub-orbital space tourism missions, in the frame of the Space Renaissance (SR) Italia Space Tourism Program. The vehicle is also consistent with a point-to-point medium range hypersonic trip, within the "urgent business travel" market segment. The design of such a hypersonic airplane is based on the concept of integrating available technologies developed for aeronautical and space atmospheric re-entry systems. The vehicle, characterized by high aerodynamic efficiency and low wing loading, is able to provide aerodynamic stability and manoeuvrability along the flight path and to produce a reduced sonic boom during cruise and supersonic descent approach, ensuring a very limited environmental impact. HyPlane, powered by Turbine Based Combined Cycle (TBCC) engines plus a throtteable Rocket, is able to perform Horizontal Takeoff and Horizontal Landing (HTHL) on runways. Aerodynamic and propulsive performances for the different flight regimes encountered during the missions are studied. Aerodynamic heating effects are analyzed, in order to identify suitable structures and materials design to sustain the hypersonic flight conditions. Different flight paths are also investigated, including hypersonic cruise and sub-orbital parabolic trajectories, which provide Space tourists with the opportunity of long duration missions, offering short and repeated periods of low-gravity, in the high stratosphere where a large view of the Earth is ensured.

ESMO is the fourth mission within ESA's Education Satellite Programme and builds upon the experience gained with SSETI Express (a micro-satellite launched into LEO in 2005), the YES2 tether experiment (launched into LEO on the Foton-M3 mission in 2007) and the European Student Earth Orbiter (a micro-satellite planned for launch in 2011/2012). The ESMO project is performed in order to attract and train the next generation of lunar and planetary engineers and scientists. The 250 kg ESMO mini-spacecraft is designed to be launched into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) as a secondary payload in the 2012/2013 timeframe. An on-board liquid bipropellant propulsion system will be used to transfer the spacecraft from its initial GTO to the operational lunar orbit via the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrange point over a period of 3 months. A miniaturised payload consisting of a Narrow Angle Camera for optical imaging of the surface, and a sub-satellite for global gravity field mapping would perform measurements over a period of 6 months. Alternative payloads under consideration include a biological experiment, and a passive microwave radiometer. The paper presents the scientific, educational and technical aspects of the ESMO project, including a description of the payload, the spacecraft design and mission profile.

The objective of this paper is twofold: (a) to review the current knowledge of cultural, psychological, psychiatric, cognitive, interpersonal, and organizational issues that are relevant to the behavior and performance of astronaut crews and ground support personnel and (b) to make recommendations for future human space missions, including both transit and planetary surface operations involving the Moon or Mars. The focus will be on long-duration missions lasting at least six weeks, when important psychological and interpersonal factors begin to take their toll on crewmembers. This information is designed to provide guidelines for astronaut selection and training, in-flight monitoring and support, and post-flight recovery and re-adaptation. Published by Elsevier Ltd.