SmallSat 2016 CubeSat Pre-
Conference Workshop:
Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout Solar
Sail Implementation
Vinh Bach2 Alex Few1 Duy Nguyen2 Jay Warren3
Chris Becker1 Andrew Heaton1 Juan Orphee1
Jared Dervan1 Travis Imken2 Brandon Stiltner1
Ben Diedrich1 Tiffany Lockett1 Olive Stohlman3
1NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
2Jet Propulsion Laboratory
3NASA Langley Research Center
1
Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Scout Overview
The Near Earth Asteroid Scout Will
• Image/characterize a NEA during a slow flyby
• Demonstrate a low cost asteroid reconnaissance
capability
Key Spacecraft & Mission Parameters
• 6U cubesat (20 cm X 10 cm X 30 cm)
• ~86 m2 solar sail propulsion system
• Manifested for launch on the Space Launch System
(EM-1/2018)
• Up to 2.5 year mission duration
• < 1 AU maximum distance from Earth
Leverages: Combined experiences of MSFC (PM, SE, Solar
Sail, AMT, G&C, and Mission Operations) and JPL (Flight
System Bus, Instrument, Science) with support from GSFC,
JSC, and LaRC
Target Close Proximity Imaging
Reconnaissance with Local scale morphology,
medium field imaging terrain properties, landing
Shape, spin, and local site survey
environment 2
NEA Scout Science
Close Proximity Science
High-resolution imaging,
10 /px GSD over >30% surface
SKGs: Local morphology
Regolith properties
JPL IntelliCam
(Updated OCO-3
NEA Reconnaissance Context Camera)
<100 km distance at encounter
50 cm/px resolution over 80% surface
SKGs: volume, global shape, spin
properties, local environment
Target
Reference
Target Detection and Approach:
stars 50K km, Light source observation
SKGs: Ephemeris determination and
composition assessment (color)
3
Mission ConOps
4
*time not to scale
NEA Scout Solar Sail Technology
‘Propellantless’ primary propulsion method
using momentum exchange with incident
photons
Leverages MSFC NanoSail-D (2010) and
collaborate arrangements with the
Planetary Society and University of Surrey
5
Flight System Configuration – Deployed
6
Flight System Overview
Star Tracker/
NEA Imager LGAs
Drive Control
Electronics* Iris 2.1 Transponder
(BCT) and Electronics
Sun Sensors*
(BCT)
IMU
(Sensonor)
6x 18650 Lithium Batteries
(Panasonic)
4X RWA 15 mNms
(BCT)
Active Mass Translator
Cold gas RCS
Solar Sail
Subassembly
HAWK Solar Array MGA
(MMA) 7
Solar Sail Mission Implementation Challenges
Solar Sail transient
deployment event and
ground testing
Persistent generation of
strong disturbance torques
with limited expendable
propellant
Need for robust ADCS to
enable trajectory, Earth-
pointing slews, and NEA
detection/SKG science
objectives
Predictable thrust modeling
8
Transient Solar Sail Deployment – Shape Phases
Single sail membrane drives initial ‘bow tie’ effect: Booms are do not maintain 90deg relative
orientation (less predictable induced disturbance force) and direct sunlight on booms drive
significant thermal deflections
1st Full Scale Solar Sail Ground Deployment
10
Disturbance Torques: Active Mass Translator (AMT)
Relative adjustment of part of the spacecraft relative to the other to
alter the inertial properties of the vehicle and align the Solar Sail
Center-of-Pressure (CP) and Center-of-Mass (CM)
11
Disturbance Torques: Active Mass Translator (AMT)
Nominal State Trimmed State
AMT
KEY
Thrust
CP
CM
Disturbance
Torque
12
ADCS: Z-Momentum Build-up
• AMT does not completely
eliminate ‘windmill’ torque
about sail normal
• Generated torque varies with
roll (‘clock’) angle and solar
angle of incidence (AOI)
• <20deg AOI, RCS must be
used for Z-momentum
desaturation
• >20deg AOI, clock angle can
be adjusted to manage or
minimize accumulation of Z-
momentum
• Underscores importance of
characterization period early
in the mission
13
ADCS: Pointing Stability
14
Solar Sail Thrust Model and Analysis Flowchart
Integrated model
• Detailed model of booms
• One-element model of membrane
• Structural analysis with thermal Membrane model
deformations
• Detailed (~5 cm) model of membrane
• No model of booms
Corner
displacements Thrust
Sail shape mesh model
Dynamic model Reduced/simplified
dynamic model
Attitude
• Fixed-bus model
control
• Stiffness matrix includes the effects
model
of sail tensioning and thermal loading
Shape • Reduced dynamic model is
solution integrated with the spacecraft bus for
attitude control studies
Thermal model
• Radiative and
conductive heat
transfer
Fixed-Bus Sail System Bending Mode
Summary & Project Status
Summary
• Numerous challenges exist in implementing a Solar Sail mission,
particularly within a CubeSat form factor
• Extensive design, analysis, and testing has been performed to-date to
address these challenges
• Difficulty in validating analytical models and performing ground (1G)
demonstrations given gossamer nature of Solar Sails
• NEA Scout flight on SLS EM-1 flight opportunity (2018) will provide a
giant leap forward in clarifying our understanding of Solar Sail modeling
and performance
Project Status
• On track for August Design Review with significant flight procurements
to follow
• Flight System integration starts June 2017
• Manifested on SLS EM-1 for 2018 deep space flight opportunity
• NEA flyby anticipated in 2021
16
BACKUP
17
Synergies Across Fields
HUMAN OPERATIONS SCIENCE
Internal structure (regolith vs. Internal structure (regolith vs. monolith)
monolith) Sub-surface properties
Sub-surface properties Detailed mineral, chemical, isotopic composition
General mineral,
chemical composition Intersection of All
Location (position prediction, orbit)
Size (existence of binary/ternary)
Rotation rate and pole position
Particulate environment/Debris field
Electrostatic charging and Plasma field
Thermal environment
Gravitational field structure
Mass/density estimates
Internal structure Surface morphology and properties
(regolith vs. monolith) Regolith mechanical and geotechnical properties
Sub-surface properties (
beta)
General mineral, Detailed mineral, chemical composition
chemical composition
PLANETARY DEFENSE RESOURCE UTILIZATION
18
Space Launch System (SLS) Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1)
Accommodation
19
Solar Sail Mission Applications
20
½ Scale Deployment
½ Scale Folding Video
Flight System Configuration – Stowed
NEAS Inside PSC
6U Dispenser
366mm
116.2mm
239.4mm
23
AMT Design and Breadboarding
• Breadboarding
hardware
development as
proof-of-concept
• EDU hardware in
development for
environmental
testing and wire
harness
implementation
24
Thrust Model: Underlying Physics
F_normal
Flat Plate optical model published in F_solar
Wright and cited by McInnes
Shows tangential and normal components
Tangential component important to torque
P = solar pressure
A = area
𝑟 = total reflectivity
s = fraction of reflection that is specular
𝛼 = sun incidence angle
Bf, Bb = front and back side non-Lambertian
coefficients
ef, eb = front and back side emissivities
𝜀𝑓 𝐵𝑓 − 𝜀𝑏 𝐵𝑏
𝑓𝑛 = 𝑃𝐴 1 + 𝑟𝑠 cos 2 𝛼 + 𝐵𝑓 1 − 𝑠 𝑟 cos 𝛼 + 1 − 𝑟 cos 𝛼
𝜀𝑓 + 𝜀𝑏
𝑓𝑡 = 𝑃𝐴 1 − 𝑟𝑠 cos 𝛼 sin 𝛼 𝑡
25
NEA Scout - Reaction Control System (RCS)
RCS Jets (4x)
Axial Thrusters (2x)
Phase Plane Control Performance
Approx. CM
Location
RCS Jet Thrust
45o
X
Y
X
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