TY - GEN
T1 - A navigation scheme for pinpoint mars landing using radar altimetry, a digital terrain model, and a particle filter
AU - Gaudet, Brian
AU - Furfaro, Roberto
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Future science-driven missions to Mars will require advanced guidance and navigation algorithms that are able to adapt to more demanding mission requirements by landing at selected locale with pinpoint accuracy while autonomously flying fuel-efficient trajectories. Current practice for navigation as applied to the powered descent phase of a Mars landing estimates the lander's downrange and crossrange position using inertial measurements and the lander's elevation using radar altimetry. As a consequence, only the lander's altitude may be accurately estimated, and downrange and crossrange position estimation errors that accumulate between the cruise stage separation and landing results in downrange and crossrange position uncertainties on the order of several kilometers. In this paper we present a novel real-time navigation algorithm that uses radar altimetry, a digital terrain model, and a particle filter to estimate the lander's position to an accuracy of several meters. We demonstrate how the navigation algorithm can be coupled with ZEM/ZEV guidance to achieve pinpoint landings on two targets unreachable using current practice: The bottom of Zumba crater and a hilltop in Uzboi Valis.
AB - Future science-driven missions to Mars will require advanced guidance and navigation algorithms that are able to adapt to more demanding mission requirements by landing at selected locale with pinpoint accuracy while autonomously flying fuel-efficient trajectories. Current practice for navigation as applied to the powered descent phase of a Mars landing estimates the lander's downrange and crossrange position using inertial measurements and the lander's elevation using radar altimetry. As a consequence, only the lander's altitude may be accurately estimated, and downrange and crossrange position estimation errors that accumulate between the cruise stage separation and landing results in downrange and crossrange position uncertainties on the order of several kilometers. In this paper we present a novel real-time navigation algorithm that uses radar altimetry, a digital terrain model, and a particle filter to estimate the lander's position to an accuracy of several meters. We demonstrate how the navigation algorithm can be coupled with ZEM/ZEV guidance to achieve pinpoint landings on two targets unreachable using current practice: The bottom of Zumba crater and a hilltop in Uzboi Valis.
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84899020703
SN - 9780877036050
T3 - Advances in the Astronautical Sciences
SP - 2537
EP - 2556
BT - Astrodynamics 2013 - Advances in the Astronautical Sciences
PB - Univelt Inc.
T2 - 2013 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Astrodynamics 2013
Y2 - 11 August 2013 through 15 August 2013
ER -