Advanced 3-D Flash Lidar Sensor Applications for Human Space Flight
- Paper number
IAC-08.B3.2.-D2.7.6
- Author
Mr. Patrick McKenzie, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., United States
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Ball Aerospace is in the forefront of developing 3-D Flash Lidar relative navigation systems for use in the next generation of human spaceflight vehicles such as Orion and Altair. Years of internal research and development efforts have led to solutions which offer Constellation Program managers lightweight, low power, low volume, high performing navigation sensors that enable necessary functions such as proximity operations, rendezvous, docking, and advanced landing and hazard avoidance capabilities. As is virtually always the case, programs such as Orion, Altair and the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) will all face significant mass challenges as they work to implement the necessary functions and safety features required by the next generation of human spaceflight vehicles. This challenge has already presented itself on Orion resulting in a zero base vehicle task completed late last year that stripped out everything but the most basic flight capabilities and then added back highest priority functional and safety oriented functions one at a time. While the Orion team has successfully "closed" the vehicle using this technique, mass issues will continue to be a critical risk as Orion moves towards its first test flights early in the coming decade. This reality has resulted in a challenge to all human spaceflight subsystem and component providers to come up with innovative solutions that meet functional needs but do so with much lighter weight, lower volume configurations than ever before flown. This paper and presentation will provide insights to the IAC audience as to how Ball Aerospace and its key subcontractors are leading the way in advanced 3-D Flash Lidar relative navigation solutions that combine cutting edge, highly reliable components and algorithms with innovative lightweight packaging to help Constellation providers maintain closed vehicle solutions without compromising crew safety.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.B3.2.-D2.7.6.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.