Open AccessPlanetary Probe Entry Atmosphere Estimation Using Synthetic Air Data System
Author(s) -
Christopher D. Karlgaard,
Mark Schoenenberger
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of spacecraft and rockets
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.758
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1533-6794
pISSN - 0022-4650
DOI - 10.2514/1.a34115
Subject(s) - atmosphere (unit) , astrobiology , atmospheric entry , environmental science , aerospace engineering , remote sensing , meteorology , atmospheric sciences , geology , physics , engineering
This paper develops an atmospheric state estimator based on inertial acceleration and angular rate measurements combined with a vehicle aerodynamic model. The approach utilizes the navigation state of the vehicle to recast the vehicle aerodynamic model to be a function solely of the atmospheric state. Force and moment measurements are based on vehicle sensed accelerations and angular rates. These measurements are combined with an aerodynamic model and a Kalman-Schmidt filter to estimate the atmospheric conditions. The method is applied to data from the Mars Science Laboratory mission, which landed the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars in August 2012. The results of the estimation algorithm are compared with results from a Flush Air Data Sensing algorithm based on onboard pressure measurements on the vehicle forebody. The comparison indicates that the proposed method provides estimates consistent with the air data measurements, without the use of pressure transducers. Implications for future missions such as the Mars 2020 entry capsule are described.