Adaptation and Re-Use of Spacecraft Power System Models for the Constellation Program

Hojnicki, Jeffrey S.; Kerslake, Thomas W.; Ayres, Mark; Han, Augustina H.; Adamson, Adrian M.

doi:10.2514/6.2008-5616

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Although developed for ISS, SPACE is able to model modern solar arrays and cells, and has been used extensively in support of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. 7 In addition to the solar array modules, SEPSim also incorporates battery performance modules. These can be used to account for the energy needed to supply vehicle housekeeping power during eclipse periods, and the corresponding amount of energy needed from the solar array to restore battery charge during insolation.…”

Section: B Solar Power Model (Space)mentioning

confidence: 99%

An Integrated Approach to Modeling Solar Electric Propulsion Vehicles During Long Duration, Near-Earth Orbit Transfers

Smith¹,

Hojnicki

2014

50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference

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Recent NASA interest in utilizing solar electronic propulsion (SEP) technology to transfer payloads, e.g. from low-Earth orbit (LEO) to higher energy geostationary-Earth orbit (GEO) or to Earth escape, has necessitated the development of high fidelity SEP vehicle models and simulations. These models and simulations need to be capable of capturing vehicle dynamics and sub-system interactions experienced during the transfer trajectories which are typically accomplished with continuous-burn (potentially interrupted by solar eclipse), long duration "spiral out" maneuvers taking several months or more to complete. This paper presents details of an integrated simulation approach achieved by combining a high fidelity vehicle simulation code with a detailed solar array model. The combined simulation tool gives researchers the functionality to study the integrated e↵ects of various vehicle sub-systems (e.g. vehicle guidance, navigation and control (GN&C), electric propulsion system (EP)) with time varying power production.Results from a simulation model of a vehicle with a 50 kW class SEP system using the integrated tool are presented and compared to the results from another simulation model employing a 50 kW end-of-life (EOL) fixed power level assumption. These models simulate a vehicle under three degree of freedom dynamics (i.e. translational dynamics only) and include the e↵ects of a targeting guidance algorithm (providing a "near optimal" transfer) during a LEO to near Earth escape (C3 = 2.0 km 2 sec 2 ) spiral trajectory. The presented results include the impact of the fully integrated, time-varying solar array model (e.g. cumulative array degradation from traversing the Van Allen belts, impact of solar eclipses on the vehicle and the related temperature responses in the solar arrays due to operating in the Earth's thermal environment, high fidelity array power module, etc.); these are used to assess the impact on vehicle performance (i.e. propellant consumption) and transit times.Engineer, Mission Design and Analysis Branch, david.a.smith-1@nasa.gov, AIAA Member. † Electrical Engineer, Power Architecture and Analysis Branch, je↵rey.s.hojnicki@nasa.gov ‡ Aerospace Engineer, Mission Design and Analysis Branch, waldy.k.sjauw@nasa.gov

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Section: B Solar Power Model (Space)mentioning

confidence: 99%