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Predicted Performance of an X-Ray Navigation System for Future Deep Space and Lunar MissionsIn November 2017, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology (SEXTANT) experiment successfully demonstrated the feasibility of X-ray Pulsar Navigation (XNAV) as part of the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission, which is an X-ray Astrophysics Mission of Opportunity currently operating onboard the International Space Station (ISS). XNAV provides a GPS-like absolute autonomous navigation and timing capability available anywhere in the Solar System and beyond. While the most significant benefits of XNAV are expected to come in support of very deep-space missions, the absolute autonomous navigation and timing capability also has utility for inner Solar System missions where increased autonomy or backup navigation and timing services are required, e.g., address loss of communication scenarios.The NASA commitment to develop a Gateway to support exploration of the Moon and eventually Mars, as well as current and future robotic missions such as James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), New Horizons, and much more, certainly will tax the existing ground based infrastructure in terms of availability. There- fore, an extended look at the feasibility and potential performance of XNAV for comparable missions is warranted. In this paper, we briefly review the XNAV concept and present case studies of its utility and performance for a Gateway orbit, Sun-Earth libration orbit, and a deep space transit trajectory.
Document ID
20190000639
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Getchius, Joel
(Omitron, Inc. Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Long, Anne
(a.i. solutions, Inc. Lanham, MD, United States)
Farahmand, Mitra
(a.i. solutions, Inc. Lanham, MD, United States)
Winternitz, Luke M.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Hassouneh, Munther A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Mitchell, Jason W.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
February 11, 2019
Publication Date
January 31, 2019
Subject Category
Engineering (General)
Report/Patent Number
AAS 19-097
GSFC-E-DAA-TN65066
Meeting Information
Meeting: Annual AAS Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference
Location: Breckenridge, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: February 1, 2019
End Date: February 6, 2019
Sponsors: American Astronautical Society
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG14VC09C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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