The flight dynamics activities for the final stage of the Giotto extended mission
Abstract
On July 10, 1992, ESA's Giotto spacecraft encountered a comet, P/Grigg-Skjellerup: an overview is presented of the determination of the comet's orbit where good accuracy was essential for the successful final targeting. Preliminary results on the actual encounter conditions are described, including the dynamic effects of dust impacts. As there were no means to measure directly the comet's position with respect to the spacecraft, it is unlikely that the relative trajectory at encounter will ever be precisely known.
- Publication:
-
Washington, DC International Astronautical Federation Congress
- Pub Date:
- August 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992wadc.iafcT....M
- Keywords:
-
- Attitude Control;
- Giotto Mission;
- Grigg-Skjellerup Comet;
- Orbit Calculation;
- Solar Orbits;
- Spacecraft Orbits;
- Cometary Atmospheres;
- Spacecraft Trajectories;
- Swingby Technique;
- Spacecraft Design, Testing and Performance