Closed-loop guidance for micro launchers: Improvement to robustness and failure tolerance

The startup Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) is developing the RFA ONE orbital launch vehicle. A significant hurdle for its closed-loop guidance is the need to fully deplete the third stage for insertion during the first flight, which results in lengthy burn-arcs and complexity not managed properly by traditional guidance algorithms. Additionally,...

Enhancing Collision Avoidance: Software and Hardware Techniques to Support and Validate GNC Developments

More than one million artificial objects greater than 1 cm are already orbiting around the Earth and this number is expected to grow. In the next three years more satellites will be launched than in the past six decades and the rate of space collisions and explosions is also expected to increase, up until an unstoppable series of collisions,...

JUICE: In-mission synergy of science and navigation ephemeris products: Application to potential benefits for statistical Delta-V expenditure

This thesis project investigates navigational aspects of the upcoming JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission, which is expected to deliver valuable data products for the scientific study of the Jovian system, and the three Galilean moons Europa, Ganymede and Callisto in particular. One such data product comes from the 3GM radio science...

Obstacle Avoidance and Trajectory Optimization for an Autonomous Vessel Utilizing MILP Path Planning, Computer Vision based Perception and Feedback Control

The framework of an autonomous vessel is typically composed of three distinct and independent blocks known as the Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) system. Whilst independent in their focus, the subsystems are nonetheless reliant on one another for a vessel to competently operate. This paper investigates the potential of using a combination...

Necessity of non-rigid body models for launch vehicles

In previous research, the necessity of non-rigid body simulators was stated to be a requirement for long, slender bodies. However, it remains unclear for which vehicle design parameters non-rigid body effects become destabilising. A set of 2+N linearly independent equations of motions can be combined in a single matrix to determine the motion of...

Optimum On-board Abort Guidance based on Successive Convexification for Atmospheric Re-Entry Vehicles

Space safety and hazards reduction techniques are each day becoming more important in the design and operation of space transportation vehicles. One way to mitigate risks is to use advanced guidance strategies to centralise mission planning and guidance-navigation and control. Successive convexification is a technique suitable for this purpose...

Guidance and Control of a Spacecraft Swarm with Limited Knowledge

There is no doubt that the smallest spacecraft platforms (CubeSats, NanoSats and microsats) are revolutionizing the market. The possibilities of developing spacecraft through standard platforms, commercial of the shelf components and then reduced the costs of development has allowed new organizations to enter the space section. On top of that,...

Robust Non-linear Control for Winged Re-entry Vehicles: Analysis of Control Concepts

An analysis of attitude controller concepts, including four attitude flight controllers, for the re-entry of the HORUS-2b. The four concerning attitude flight controller concepts are the benchmark Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), Model predictive Controller, Incremental Non-linear Dynamic Inversion (INDI) and Sliding Mode Controller. Each...

Cubesat Deployment Trajectories for the Asteroid Impact Mission

Missions to Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are a growing trend in spaceflight. The interest for such bodies is not only justified by the threat that they represent for the Earth, but also because they are potential sources of extra-terrestrial materials, provide windows to the past of the Solar System and to planetary formation, and offer a good...

Performance of a Flush Airdata Sensor in a Particle Filter-Based Re-entry Navigation System

Re-entry is a term that is applied when one would like to transport some (human) payload from an orbit around a certain body towards the surface of that body. With an entry velocity of multiple kilometers per second, having the vehicle carrying this payload not smashed into pieces at the end of flight is one of the key points of re-entry. Using...

Convex Guidance, Navigation, and Control for Pin-Point Lunar Landing

Convex guidance is a developing guidance algorithm that seeks to unify the trajectory optimisation for pin-point landings. The unification would mean the elimination of the need of different optimisation techniques for different stages of the landing. Using convex optimisation, convex guidance is guaranteed to find the global-optimum of the design...

Descent, Touchdown and Repositioning of a hopping planetary lander on Enceladus

This report deals with the design of a complete guidance, navigation and control system for a planetary lander on Enceladus, for both descent and repositioning. A basic lander model with a main engine, attitude thrusters and a landing gear is presented, for which the equations of motion in different reference frames are derived, including the...