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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter aerobraking navigation operation
Long, Stacia M.; You, Tung-Han; Halsell, C. Allen; Bhat, Ramachand S.; Demcak, Stuart W.; Graat, Eric J.; Higa, Earl S.; Highsmith, Dolan E.; Mottinger, Neil A.; Jah, Moriba K.
Publisher:Pasadena, CA : Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2008
Citation:SpaceOps 2008, Heidelberg, Germany, May 12-16, 2008
Abstract:
After a seven-month interplanetary cruise, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter arrived at Mars and executed a 1.0 km/s Mars Orbit Insertion (MOI) maneuver. The post-MOI orbit was highly elliptical with a 35 hour, 428km x 45000km altitude orbit. To establish a useful science orbit, the navigation team used an aerobraking technique to guide the spacecraft into a 2-hour, 255km x 320 km altitude orbit. This paper details the aerobraking navigation operation strategy and flight results. It also describes the aerobraking key requirements and navigation challenges.
