A Case for Space Platforms - A Comparative Analysis of Spacecraft Architectures for Deep Space Observation

Athip Thirupathi Raj, Jekan Thangavelautham

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

One of the critical goals of the Artemis program is to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon, including the development of lunar bases. These bases will be used for scientific research, resource exploration, and utilization and as a stepping stone for further solar system exploration. However, the development of lunar bases poses many challenges, including the harsh environment on the lunar surface, such as micrometeorite impacts, which are a safety hazard and threat to astronauts, especially with a lack of atmosphere on the Moon to mitigate the effects. This calls for an Observation Post in Cislunar space to identify some events of interest, act as an early warning system, and characterize them. We propose using a swarm of CubeSats as part of an Observation Station Platform in Cislunar Space outfitted with sensors of varying specifications. Using the “Smartphone camera” approach to sensors, where there are a variety of imaging sensors with varying focal lengths, fields of view, and apertures, the probability of capturing an observation of an event of interest is significantly increased. “Scout” CubeSats equipped with lower-resolution sensors with a wider field of view provide information about the location of the event to an autonomous planner algorithm in real-time as they cover a wider area. The planner may redirect another CubeSat with a higher resolution sensor but a lower field of view to observe the event in greater detail. At the same time, the Scout is either retargeted to look for other events or to provide data from another view angle for sensor fusion. This scouting and retargeting approach is not possible with a single large spacecraft, making the CubeSat swarm the ideal candidate for satisfying such requirements. This presentation discusses the mission design elements of a Cislunar Observation outpost using a swarm of CubeSats. First, we perform Physics-based 3D simulations to establish the need for an outpost in Cislunar space and a genetic algorithm to optimize and find the minimum number of CubeSats and the combinations of onboard sensors required to observe all possible event occurrences. In addition, the onboard processing required to run the planner algorithm in real time is calculated. Finally, we propose realworld testing of our hypothesis using a swarm of drones in a controlled environment to observe randomly occurring simulated events of interest to determine the effectiveness of the autonomous planning algorithm.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition, 2024
PublisherAmerican Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
ISBN (Print)9781624107115
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
EventAIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition, 2024 - Orlando, United States
Duration: Jan 8 2024Jan 12 2024

Publication series

NameAIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition, 2024

Conference

ConferenceAIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition, 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOrlando
Period1/8/241/12/24

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aerospace Engineering

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