Exploitation of Doppler data during the reactivation of Giotto
Abstract
The use of Doppler data for the analysis and maneuvering of the Giotto cometary spacecraft is described emphasizing the predictive accuracy of the data. Doppler data was used to study the status and dynamics of the spacecraft, predict its orbit, determine the spin rate, and reconstruct the craft's attitude. The reactivation strategy is outlined with attention given to the close encounter with P/Halley and the status of the high-gain antenna despin mechanism. The Doppler data analysis includes computations of the postfit two-way Doppler residuals and consideration for the offset of the low-gain antenna from the spin-axis. The Doppler data was critical for the reactivation, and its effectiveness was enhanced by forecasting measurable changes in the Doppler residuals. The data-analysis techniques described are shown to be useful and can be applied for the next reactivation of Giotto when the geocentric distance is 220 million miles.
- Publication:
-
Astrodynamics 1991
- Pub Date:
- August 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992asdy.conf..103M
- Keywords:
-
- Doppler Effect;
- Giotto Mission;
- Spacecraft Antennas;
- Spacecraft Communication;
- Interplanetary Flight;
- Spacecraft Maneuvers;
- Spacecraft Trajectories;
- Spin Stabilization;
- Telemetry;
- Spacecraft Design, Testing and Performance