Using Autonomous Navigation for Interplanetary Missions: The Validation

Abstract succe sfully completed many complex and difficult operations. These operations include provision of The first mission of NASA's New Millennium Program, astronomical ephemeris data to non-navigational systems Deep Space 1, has, as one of its principal demonstration- onboard, planning and execution of hours-long picture-technologies, the first autonomous optical navigation taking sessions, planning and execution of sessions of system to be used in deep space. The AutoNav system is a ion-engine function, planning and execution of trajectory set of software elements that interact with the imaging, correction maneuvers, and successful completion of attitude control and ion-propulsion systems aboard DSI in encounter activities during the Braille approach rehearsal, order to accomplish optical data king, orbit and for part of the actual pproach, delivering the determination, trajectory correction maneuvers, ion spacecraft to as close as 2.5km of the desired impact-propulsion system (IPS) control, and encounter plane-position, and starting encounter sequences to within operations. The validation of this system in the flight of 5 seconds of the actual encounter-relative start time. By DSI to Braille was very successful. Despite very virtue of the AuotNav system, new streamlined methods substantial problems with the DSI camera, the AutoNav of operations were developed that minimized ground system was eventually able to determine the spacecraft planning and verification requirements for extensive heliocentric position to better than 200km and.2m/s, as complicated sequences. These sequences included those determined by ground-based radio navigation, which for for navigation and calibration picture taking, IPS this low-thrust mission, was itself a new technology. As operations, both IPS and conventional TCMs, and well as achieving this principal goal of high quality encounter science activity. interplanetary cruise orbit determination, AutoNa