Preliminary Statistical Trajectory Atmosphere Reconstruction of MSL Entry Descent Landing

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AAS-2013-309.pdf (1.41 MB)
Author(s)
Dutta, Soumyo
Braun, Robert D.
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Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering
The Daniel Guggenheim School of Aeronautics was established in 1931, with a name change in 1962 to the School of Aerospace Engineering
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https://hdl.handle.net/1853/74869
Abstract
On August 5, 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft landed the heaviest payload on Mars using the largest aeroshell and supersonic parachute ever used by a planetary entry mission. Moreover, an innovative Sky Crane landing system was utilized to softly and accurately place the science payload on the ground near the desired target. The spacecraft recorded inertial measurement unit data and radar altimeter measurements during its descent through the Martian atmosphere and the aeroshell was also instrumented with flush atmospheric data system sensors that allow for the reconstruction of the vehicle's pressure distribution and freestream atmospheric conditions. This paper shows the preliminary results of the vehicle's trajectory and atmosphere reconstruction using a statistical estimation methodology that utilizes an extended Kalman filter. This method has been demonstrated with simulated Mars entry data in the past, and has the capability of simultaneously estimating the parameters and their uncertainties using the initial state covariance and measurement uncertainties.
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2013-02
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