Rosetta Science Operations Planning for Steins Flyby

Details Rosetta Science Operations Planning for Steins Flyby Rosetta Science Operations Planning for Steins Flyby

Sep 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.5002w&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #50.02

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

The International Rosetta mission managed by the European Space Agency (ESA) was launched on 2 March 2004 to rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (C-G) in May 2014. Upon arrival, the Philae lander carrying 10 experiments will be placed on the comet's surface, and the Rosetta orbiter with 12 experiments will continue to orbit C-G and accompany the comet through perihelion.
During its cruise to C-G, Rosetta performs close flybys at two asteroids, namely 2867 Steins on September 5, 2008 and 21 Lutetia on July 10, 2010. High resolution images and spectra are taken around the closest approach (CA) to the target. Light curves are recorded, and the exosphere as well as the dust and plasma environment is explored. This paper discusses the science operations planning aspects specific to the Rosetta flyby at Steins carried out last year.
The flyby trajectory was constrained by the fixed velocity (8.6 km/s) and direction of Rosetta relative to asteroid Steins. In terms of free parameters, the minimum closest approach distance possible was selected (800 km), and passage through zero phase angle allowed observing the opposition effect. An optical navigation campaign improved the targeting of the trajectory correction maneuvers (TCMs). Breakpoints to restart the payload operations in case of a spacecraft anomaly were linked to the TCM slots, plus a last breakpoint was defined 2 hrs before CA.
The attitude profile was mainly driven by the requirement to point the remote sensing instruments to the small angular size target body. Around CA the navigation cameras tracked the asteroid, and the attitude and orbit control system operated in closed loop. For the unlikely case that this asteroid mode could not be entered, a backup slew profile was designed to recover some science observations in spite of the much larger expected pointing errors.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Rosetta Science Operations Planning for Steins Flyby does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Rosetta Science Operations Planning for Steins Flyby, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Rosetta Science Operations Planning for Steins Flyby will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1333541