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Lunar and Lagrangian Point L1 L2 CubeSat Communication and Navigation ConsiderationsCubeSats have grown in sophistication to the point that relatively low-cost mission solutions could be undertaken for planetary exploration. There are unique considerations for Lunar and L1L2 CubeSat communication and navigation compared with low earth orbit CubeSats. This paper explores those considerations as they relate to the MoreheadGSFC Lunar IceCube Mission. The Lunar IceCube is a CubeSat mission led by Morehead State University with participation from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, JPL, the Busek Company and Vermont Tech. It will search for surface water ice and other resources from a high inclination lunar orbit. Lunar IceCube is one of a select group of CubeSats designed to explore beyond low-earth orbit that will fly on NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) as secondary payloads for Exploration Mission (EM) 1. Lunar IceCube and the EM-1 CubeSats will lay the groundwork for future lunar and L1L2 CubeSat missions. This paper discusses communication and navigation needs for the Lunar IceCube mission and navigation and radiation tolerance requirements related to lunar and L1L2 orbits. Potential CubeSat radio and antennas for such missions are investigated and compared. Ground station coverage, link analysis, and ground station solutions are also discussed. There are currently modifications in process for the Morehead ground station. Further enhancement of the Morehead ground station and the NASA Near Earth Network (NEN) are being examined. This paper describes how the NEN may support Lunar and L1L2 CubeSats without any enhancements and potential expansion of NEN to better support such missions in the future. The potential NEN enhancements include upgrading current NEN Cortex receiver with Forward Error Correction (FEC) Turbo Code, providing X-band Uplink capability, and adding ranging options. The benefits of ground station enhancements for CubeSats flown on NASA Exploration Missions (EM) are presented. The paper also discusses other initiatives that the NEN is studying to better support the CubeSat community, including streamlining the compatibility test, planning and scheduling associated with CubeSat missions.
Document ID
20170007444
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Schaire, Scott
(NASA Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Island, VA United States)
Wong, Yen F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Altunc, Serhat
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Bussey, George D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Shelton, Marta
(NASA Wallops Flight Facility Wallops Island, VA United States)
Folta, Dave
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Gramling, Cheryl
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Celeste, Peter
(Booz-Allen and Hamilton, Inc. Annapolis Junction, MD, United States)
Anderson, Mike
(Booz-Allen and Hamilton, Inc. Annapolis Junction, MD, United States)
Perrotto, Trish
(Booz-Allen and Hamilton, Inc. Annapolis Junction, MD, United States)
Malphrus, Ben
(Morehead State Univ. KY, United States)
Kruth, Jeff
(Morehead State Univ. KY, United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2017
Publication Date
August 5, 2017
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command And Tracking
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN44874
Meeting Information
Meeting: Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites
Location: Logan, UT
Country: United States
Start Date: August 5, 2017
End Date: August 10, 2017
Sponsors: Utah State Univ., American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG15CR66C
PROJECT: 453
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
CubeSat
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