The Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) was competitively selected by the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) as a low-cost (< $80M) 1000 kg secondary payload to be launched with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) in October of 2008. LCROSS is a lunar impactor mission that will investigate the presence or absence of water in a permanently shadowed crater. Following launch, trans-lunar injection (TLI) and separation from LRO, LCROSS will remain attached to the launch vehicle's approximately 2300 kg spent Earth Departure Upper Stage (EDUS) and will guide it toward an impact of a permanently shadowed crater at the lunar South Pole. Hours prior to impact, LCROSS will separate from the EDUS and perform a braking maneuver that will allow the spacecraft to take measurements of the resulting EDUS impact ejecta cloud for several minutes, before impacting the crater as well. As a cost-capped secondary mission that must accommodate specific LRO launch dates, LCROSS faces unique challenges and constraints that must be carefully reconciled in order to satisfy an ambitious set of science observation requirements. This paper examines driving mission requirements and constraints and describes the trajectory design and navigation strategy that shape the LCROSS mission.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Trajectory Design and Orbit Determination for the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS)


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2007-09-24


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English





    Mission Design for the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS)

    Cooley, Steve / Galal, Ken / Berry, Kevin et al. | AIAA | 2010


    Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) Instrument Calibration Summary

    Smith, Kimberly Ennico / Colaprete, Anthony / Shirley, Mark H. et al. | NTRS | 2010


    Mission Design for the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS)

    Cooley, S. / Galal, K. / Berry, K. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2010


    Ice on the Moon? Science Design of the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) Mission

    Christensen, Andrew / Eller, Howard / Reuter, Justin et al. | AIAA | 2006