Control and communications for ISAS Deep Space Missions — Experience and plans

Abstract

ISAS(Institute of Space and Astronautical Science) launched Japanese first interplanetary explorers, SAKIGAKE and SUISEI toward the Halley's Comet in 1985. In 1990, ISAS also successfully launched a spacecraft, HITEN, which demonstrated Double Lunar Swingby Orbit as a precursor of GEOTAIL spacecraft launched in 1992. GEOTAIL is conducting in—situ exploration of the deep geo—magnetic tail, which extends up to more than 200 Re(Earth Radii) in the night side of the Earth, and such a mission inevitably requires for its trajectory to utilize the double lunar swingby technique. Though SUISEI ceased its mission in 1991 and HITEN also completed its mission in April 1993, ISAS Sagamihara Space Operation Center is currently operating two spacecraft, SAKIGAKE and GEOTAIL by use of a 64m dish antenna of Usuda Deep Space Center as well as a 20m dish antenna of Kagoshima Space Center as a back—up ground station. ISAS is now developing two planetary missions. One of them is LUNAR—A, scheduled for launch in 1997, and it will be followed by PLANET—B, scheduled in 1998. This thesis describes the function of ISAS Deep Space Mission Operation Ground Stations that have been operating past 10 years and the concept of future system which is planning for operation of LUNAR—A and PLANET—B. Show more