The navigation aspects of the Mariner Venus/Mercury 1973 mission are presented. Principal emphasis is on the maneuver strategy employed, propellant costs and the results of the navigation performance relating to the accomplishment of the mission objectives including an extended mission for a second Mercury encounter. Key error sources and mission constraints are discussed. Of particular interest is the impact of in-flight adaptation of the pre-launch maneuver strategy (due to spacecraft anomalies) on propellant cost and the delivery achieved at the first Mercury encounter. The maneuver strategy and propellant cost for the extended mission are shown to be heavily influenced by the delivery achieved at the first Mercury encounter and the science objectives at the second Mercury encounter.
Navigation results of the Mariner Venus/Mercury 1973 mission
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Aerospace Sciences Meeting ; 1975 ; Pasadena, CA
1975-01-01
Conference paper
No indication
English
Mariner Venus/Mercury 1973 navigation strategy
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