Semi Autonomous Orbit Determination and Planning Method for Frequent Deep Space Missions

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Agile and Frequent Solar System Exploration with Innovative Microsatellite
• Project/Area Number: 20H05749
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Transformative Research Areas, Section (II)
• Research Institution: Japan Aerospace EXploration Agency
• Principal Investigator: Ozaki Naoya 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 特任助教 (90836222)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐々木 貴広 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 研究開発部門, 研究開発員 (00835168) ; 菊地 翔太 国立天文台, RISE月惑星探査プロジェクト, 助教 (90830068)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-10-02 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 軌道決定 / 自律化 / 軌道設計 / 確率制御 / 超小型衛星 / 軌道力学 / ロバスト制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent years, the number of satellites, especially for Earth-orbiting missions, has increased explosively due to the rapid development of nano-satellites, and the trend of increasing the number of satellites (i.e., higher mission frequency) is about to expand to deep space exploration such as the Moon and Mars. One of the major differences between Earth orbit missions and deep space missions is orbit determination technology, which is one of the major barriers to high frequency missions. The goal of this study is to realize a quasi-autonomous orbit determination and planning method that is less dependent on ground station resources. To achieve the desired quasi-autonomous orbit determination and planning, we introduce an autonomous orbit determination method and an integrated orbit control and orbit determination planning method. The autonomous orbit determination and operation will be adopted for routine operations, while ground stations will be assigned for critical operations.

Free Research Field

軌道力学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は，アルテミス計画等の国際宇宙探査が始まり，超小型衛星を利用して大学・新興企業が盛り上がり始めた今だからこそ意義があるものである．アストロダイナミクス（＝軌道力学）分野の研究領域においては，これまで分かれていた軌道決定（航法）と軌道計画（誘導・制御）を統合的に扱う研究であり，今後，新しい学術領域の創出につながると考えている．更に，本研究成果は深宇宙ミッションの高頻度化だけではなく，地上局を介さないことで伝搬遅延に縛られない自律探査（例えば，遠方でのランデブ・ドッキング・着陸・サンプル回収等）が可能となり，深宇宙探査の技術高度化にも資する．