Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | 2024 DGON Inertial Sensors and Applications, ISA 2024 |
| Editors | Peter Hecker |
| Publisher | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. |
| ISBN (electronic) | 979-8-3503-8751-3 |
| ISBN (print) | 979-8-3503-8752-0 |
| Publication status | Published - 22 Oct 2024 |
| Event | 2024 International Conference on DGON Inertial Sensors and Applications, ISA 2024 - Braunschweig, Germany Duration: 22 Oct 2024 → 23 Oct 2024 |
Publication series
| Name | Proceedings of International Symposium on Inertial Sensors and Systems |
|---|---|
| ISSN (Print) | 2377-3464 |
| ISSN (electronic) | 2377-3480 |
Abstract
Inertial navigation is an essential technology for space applications due to its autonomy from external signals and references. In space, inertial navigation systems utilize accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure changes in velocity and orientation, enabling a spacecraft to determine its trajectory independently, assuming the gravitational accelerations are well known. While conventional accelerometers onboard space missions often suffer from a large drift in the frequency range below 10-3 Hz, quantum accelerometers can provide highly stable and drift-free measurements of non-gravitational acceleration and consequently improve the spacecraft orbits. This work evaluates the performance of a 3-axis quantum accelerometer for space navigation. In this paper, we analyze the performance of such sensors onboard a spacecraft in a parking orbit around Earth in two scenarios of maintaining a nadir-looking orientation and having an inertially fixed spacecraft. To achieve this goal, we simulate a spacecraft in the low Earth orbit using gravitational and non-gravitational accelerations, and we develop an in-orbit performance model for Mach- Zehnder-type quantum accelerometers capable of calculating the detection noise, quantum projection noise, laser frequency noise, wavefront aberration bias, and contrast loss, together with external effects such as the impact of rotation, and gravity gradient for each individual measurement. Using this modeling and based on the propagated orbit, we simulate the measurements of a 3-axis quantum accelerometer along the orbit in two different scenarios: first, we assume the spacecraft to maintain a nadir-pointing orientation, and then we consider another scenario in which the spacecraft is assumed to be inertially- fixed. The results demonstrate that the nadir-pointing orientation introduces more noise, particularly in the along-track and radial directions, due to uncompensated rotation. However, in both the nadir-pointing and inertially fixed scenarios, quantum sensors still produce white noise, consistent with their drift-free measurement capabilities. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the critical role of sensor placement within the spacecraft. Positioning the quantum accelerometer along the main axis of rotation is optimal, as it reduces the impact of centrifugal forces and improves measurement accuracy. This is especially important for spacecraft in nadir-pointing orientations or during maneuvers. This research is the simulation and implementation of a low-Earth orbit, undertaken as a proof-of-concept. In the future, we implement this modeling for a trajectory from Earth to the Moon. We discuss the challenges, limitations, and potential solutions.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Engineering(all)
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mathematics(all)
- Control and Optimization
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Instrumentation
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2024 DGON Inertial Sensors and Applications, ISA 2024. ed. / Peter Hecker. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2024. (Proceedings of International Symposium on Inertial Sensors and Systems).
Research output: Chapter in book/report/conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Research › peer review
}
TY - GEN
T1 - Performance Evaluation of Quantum Accelerometers for Space Navigation
AU - Hosseiniarani, Alireza
AU - Sreekantaiah, Arpetha C.
AU - Tennstedt, Benjamin
AU - He, Xingchi
AU - Hugentobler, Urs
AU - Schon, Steffen
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 IEEE.
PY - 2024/10/22
Y1 - 2024/10/22
N2 - Inertial navigation is an essential technology for space applications due to its autonomy from external signals and references. In space, inertial navigation systems utilize accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure changes in velocity and orientation, enabling a spacecraft to determine its trajectory independently, assuming the gravitational accelerations are well known. While conventional accelerometers onboard space missions often suffer from a large drift in the frequency range below 10-3 Hz, quantum accelerometers can provide highly stable and drift-free measurements of non-gravitational acceleration and consequently improve the spacecraft orbits. This work evaluates the performance of a 3-axis quantum accelerometer for space navigation. In this paper, we analyze the performance of such sensors onboard a spacecraft in a parking orbit around Earth in two scenarios of maintaining a nadir-looking orientation and having an inertially fixed spacecraft. To achieve this goal, we simulate a spacecraft in the low Earth orbit using gravitational and non-gravitational accelerations, and we develop an in-orbit performance model for Mach- Zehnder-type quantum accelerometers capable of calculating the detection noise, quantum projection noise, laser frequency noise, wavefront aberration bias, and contrast loss, together with external effects such as the impact of rotation, and gravity gradient for each individual measurement. Using this modeling and based on the propagated orbit, we simulate the measurements of a 3-axis quantum accelerometer along the orbit in two different scenarios: first, we assume the spacecraft to maintain a nadir-pointing orientation, and then we consider another scenario in which the spacecraft is assumed to be inertially- fixed. The results demonstrate that the nadir-pointing orientation introduces more noise, particularly in the along-track and radial directions, due to uncompensated rotation. However, in both the nadir-pointing and inertially fixed scenarios, quantum sensors still produce white noise, consistent with their drift-free measurement capabilities. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the critical role of sensor placement within the spacecraft. Positioning the quantum accelerometer along the main axis of rotation is optimal, as it reduces the impact of centrifugal forces and improves measurement accuracy. This is especially important for spacecraft in nadir-pointing orientations or during maneuvers. This research is the simulation and implementation of a low-Earth orbit, undertaken as a proof-of-concept. In the future, we implement this modeling for a trajectory from Earth to the Moon. We discuss the challenges, limitations, and potential solutions.
AB - Inertial navigation is an essential technology for space applications due to its autonomy from external signals and references. In space, inertial navigation systems utilize accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure changes in velocity and orientation, enabling a spacecraft to determine its trajectory independently, assuming the gravitational accelerations are well known. While conventional accelerometers onboard space missions often suffer from a large drift in the frequency range below 10-3 Hz, quantum accelerometers can provide highly stable and drift-free measurements of non-gravitational acceleration and consequently improve the spacecraft orbits. This work evaluates the performance of a 3-axis quantum accelerometer for space navigation. In this paper, we analyze the performance of such sensors onboard a spacecraft in a parking orbit around Earth in two scenarios of maintaining a nadir-looking orientation and having an inertially fixed spacecraft. To achieve this goal, we simulate a spacecraft in the low Earth orbit using gravitational and non-gravitational accelerations, and we develop an in-orbit performance model for Mach- Zehnder-type quantum accelerometers capable of calculating the detection noise, quantum projection noise, laser frequency noise, wavefront aberration bias, and contrast loss, together with external effects such as the impact of rotation, and gravity gradient for each individual measurement. Using this modeling and based on the propagated orbit, we simulate the measurements of a 3-axis quantum accelerometer along the orbit in two different scenarios: first, we assume the spacecraft to maintain a nadir-pointing orientation, and then we consider another scenario in which the spacecraft is assumed to be inertially- fixed. The results demonstrate that the nadir-pointing orientation introduces more noise, particularly in the along-track and radial directions, due to uncompensated rotation. However, in both the nadir-pointing and inertially fixed scenarios, quantum sensors still produce white noise, consistent with their drift-free measurement capabilities. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the critical role of sensor placement within the spacecraft. Positioning the quantum accelerometer along the main axis of rotation is optimal, as it reduces the impact of centrifugal forces and improves measurement accuracy. This is especially important for spacecraft in nadir-pointing orientations or during maneuvers. This research is the simulation and implementation of a low-Earth orbit, undertaken as a proof-of-concept. In the future, we implement this modeling for a trajectory from Earth to the Moon. We discuss the challenges, limitations, and potential solutions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85218489109&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/ISA62769.2024.10786040
DO - 10.1109/ISA62769.2024.10786040
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85218489109
SN - 979-8-3503-8752-0
T3 - Proceedings of International Symposium on Inertial Sensors and Systems
BT - 2024 DGON Inertial Sensors and Applications, ISA 2024
A2 - Hecker, Peter
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 2024 International Conference on DGON Inertial Sensors and Applications, ISA 2024
Y2 - 22 October 2024 through 23 October 2024
ER -