Expected Performance of the Electra Transceiver for Mars Missions
Edgar Glenn Lightsey, Thomas F. Campbell, Andreas Mogensen, Dan Burkhart, Todd Ely, Courtney B. Duncan, Todd Ely · AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference and Exhibit · 2005
The Electra UHF Transceiver, developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will provide accurate trajectory determination for future Mars missions. Autonomous on-orbit navigation and guidance will enable maneuvers such as aerocapture and surface landings within 1 km. In order for the Electra to perform its function, it must be able to acquire and track a 2-way signal under a wide range of vehicle dynamics and signal strengths as a vehicle approaches Mars. In anticipation of the testing of two Engineering Development Units of the Electra, a standard approach trajectory is deflned using Mars Science Laboratory as an example. This trajectory demonstrates the dynamic operating environment that the tracking loops will encounter during a planetary approach. A detailed link analysis is presented for a variety of receiver design and system model parameters. It is determined that the current hardware design should be able to establish a measurement link at a range of 100,000 km from an orbiting vehicle. This initial acquisition range may be extended with future algorithm enhancements.