GREMLUN : a miniaturized gravity gradiometer for planetary and small bodies exploration
- Paper number
IAC-08.A3.5.9
- Author
Dr. Bernard Foulon, Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), France
- Coauthor
Mr. Bruno Christophe, Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), France
- Coauthor
Mr. Jean-Pierre Marque, Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), France
- Year
2008
- Abstract
With its family of ultra sensitive space accelerometers dedicated to the in-orbit measurement of the Earth gravity field (CHAMP, GRACE and next GOCE missions), the Onera team has accumulated these last years, the necessary experience and technical know-how to propose a new concept of instrument for planetary missions: the GREMLUN gravity gradiometer. Based on the principle of a planar gradiometer with four thin test masses at the four corners of a square configuration, the instrument is optimized to comply with the limited interface budgets of planetary missions. With its less than 10 kg weight, its all included volume inside a 250x250x250 cm3 cube and its power consumption maintained less than 10 W, the instrument measures the differential acceleration along two axes (along track and radial) and the angular acceleration about the third one. By taking advantage of the null trace property, the three diagonal components of gravity gradient tensor will be determined with an accuracy of about one Eötvös (10-9ms-2/m). Using the improved technologies of the electrostatic space accelerometers, but with a concept of payload especially designed and optimised for planetary mission environment, the GREMLUN instrument can claim a level of TRL sufficiently high to be integrated after a very short additional development in the payloads of the next planetary and small bodies exploration. In particular, the precise knowledge of the NEOs’ gravity properties can be of the most important interest to accurately foresee the asteroid trajectory after resonant flyby with the Earth as in the case of the Apophis encounter in 2029.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.A3.5.9.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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