Note: This post is adapted from my conference paper, which was presented at the 2022 AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialists Conference. You can read the full paper here. Abstract Low-thrust propulsion is an enabling factor for the next generation of deep space missions. Unfortunately, their limited thrust capabilities render long-duration thrusting arcs necessary. Any interruption to the thrust…
Note: This post is adapted from a journal paper I was a co-author on (my other Co-Authors, particularly Jared Sikes and James Pezent, deserve far more credit than I for both the GTOC solution and the paper), which was accepted to Acta Astronautica in Summer 2022. You can read the full paper here, or see my…
Note: This post is adapted from my conference paper, which was presented at the 11th International ESA Conference on Guidance, Navigation & Control Systems. You can read the full paper here. Abstract – Measuring Resilience Of Autonomous Controllers To Missed Thrust Events On A Mars To Earth Trajectory As spacecraft adopt low-thrust electric propulsion to reduce propellant mass,…
Note: This post is adapted from my journal paper, which was accepted to Aerospace Science and Technology in Spring 2021. You can read the full paper here Abstract – Designing Trajectories Resilient to Missed Thrust Events Using Expected Thrust Fraction With the adoption of efficient low-thrust propulsion methods, the probability of a missed thrust event…
Note: This post is adapted from my conference paper, which was presented at the Astrodynamics Specialists Conference in Summer 2020. You can read the full paper here. Abstract – Designing Trajectories Resilient to Missed Thrust Events Using Expected Thrust Fraction With the adoption of efficient low-thrust propulsion methods, the probability of a missed thrust event occurring has…
Note: This post is adapted from my conference paper, that I presented at the Astrodynamics Specialists Conference in Summer 2020. You can read the full paper here. Abstract – Using Reinforcement Learning to Design Missed Thrust Resilient Trajectories From ion thrusters to solar sails, spacecraft continue to adopt new and more efficient forms of propulsion. As…
Note: This post is adapted from my journal paper, which was accepted to Acta Astronautica in Spring 2020. You can read the full paper here Abstract – Neural Network Optimal Control in Astrodynamics While high-efficiency propulsion techniques are enabling new mission concepts in deep space exploration, their limited thrust capabilities necessitate long thrusting arcs and…
On September 4th, 2023, a sample return canister will hopefully plummet through the skies of Utah. This sample return canister, after being charred due to the heat of atmospheric re-entry, will be brought to Johnston space center where scientists will open it to reveal up to 2 kilograms of the asteroid Bennu. This will mark…
Disclaimer: Plotly paid me to both make a dash app, as well as this post. Even before this I was a fan of Plotly’s products and used them in posts about missed thrust events and visualizing periodic orbits. In those projects, I used Plotly because they make some great visualization tools. You should check their…
Psyche For an orbital mechanics HW I was looking at Psyche and the effects of different perturbations. Psyche, an M-type asteroid, is one of the largest objects in the asteroid belt and contains about 1% of the belt’s entire mass. As an M-Type asteroid, Psyche is expected to be a reddish world mostly made up…
