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Mission Design for the Lunar Reconnaissance OrbiterThe Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will be the first mission under NASA's Vision for Space Exploration. LRO will fly in a low 50 km mean altitude lunar polar orbit. LRO will utilize a direct minimum energy lunar transfer and have a launch window of three days every two weeks. The launch window is defined by lunar orbit beta angle at times of extreme lighting conditions. This paper will define the LRO launch window and the science and engineering constraints that drive it. After lunar orbit insertion, LRO will be placed into a commissioning orbit for up to 60 days. This commissioning orbit will be a low altitude quasi-frozen orbit that minimizes stationkeeping costs during commissioning phase. LRO will use a repeating stationkeeping cycle with a pair of maneuvers every lunar sidereal period. The stationkeeping algorithm will bound LRO altitude, maintain ground station contact during maneuvers, and equally distribute periselene between northern and southern hemispheres. Orbit determination for LRO will be at the 50 m level with updated lunar gravity models. This paper will address the quasi-frozen orbit design, stationkeeping algorithms and low lunar orbit determination.
Document ID
20070021535
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Beckman, Mark
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2007
Subject Category
Astrodynamics
Report/Patent Number
AAS-07--057
Report Number: AAS-07--057
Meeting Information
Meeting: 29th Annual AAS Guidance and Control Conference
Location: Breckenridge, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: February 4, 2006
End Date: February 8, 2006
Sponsors: American Astronautical Society
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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