Analysis and Development of Novel Space Domain Awareness Algorithms in the Lunar Domain

Space domain awareness (SDA) is a current hot topic in the astronautical engineering community. Dealing with the study and monitoring of objects orbiting around the Earth, there is a new push to extend SDA methodologies to accommodate the cislunar domain and beyond to the lunar domain. Analysis of legacy and development of new SDA methods is of great interest for many upcoming space missions. Orbital maneuver planning, objecting tracking, and dynamic modeling are all coupled to the advancement of SDA methodologies. This work investigates current and develops new Lunar SDA models and algorithms lying within three categories: optimal orbit transfers, the spherical harmonic gravity (SHG) field representation, and orbit determination through batch/sequential processes. Optimal bi-impulse orbit transfers are utilized to realize bang-bang fuel-optimal transfer solutions. A method to select a truncated model degree of an SHG field representation with respect to the total model uncertainty for a given orbit and spatial location is presented. The sensitivity of the traditional Lunar orbit determination (OD) algorithm utilizing Earth-based ground observations with reference to observational considerations is investigated. Gooding’s angles-only OD method is modified to perform Lunar satellite-to-satellite OD and is improved by accounting for observer uncertainty. Finally, a new modification to the Kalman filter is derived to restrict the state estimate and covariance updates.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Aerospace Engineering

Grantor

Texas A&M University

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• McElreath, James William

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Majji, Manoranjan

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Junkins, John L
• DeMars, Kyle
• Rathinam, Sivakumar

• Lunar Space Domain Awareness
• Lunar Orbit Determination

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/202996

OAI record oai:identifier

https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Aoaktrust.library.tamu.edu%3A1969.1%2F202996