Extraterrestrial Vehicle Trajectory Correction Across Operational Cycles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electric propulsion systems in extraterrestrial vehicles experience perturbations that cause them to stray from reference trajectories due to various environmental factors, making it difficult to accurately model and correct for errors in real-time, especially over long durations, leading to potential failure in reaching desired orbits.
Innovation Solution
A terrestrial-based computing system employs trajectory simulation and optimization techniques, including Monte Carlo simulations and indirect optimization, to generate and evaluate multiple trajectories, accounting for errors and perturbations, and adjusts the vehicle's thrust profile to ensure it reaches the target with high accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If electric propulsion systems are used for long-duration space transit, then fuel efficiency is improved, but trajectory accuracy deteriorates due to environmental perturbations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary Monte Carlo simulations to predict potential trajectory deviations before they occur. By simulating multiple possible trajectories with introduced errors beforehand, the system prepares corrective thrust profiles in advance, allowing the vehicle to maintain fuel efficiency while compensating for perturbations as they occur
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously compares the actual vehicle state against simulated trajectory models and adjusts thrust profiles accordingly. This feedback mechanism allows the low-thrust propulsion system to maintain accurate trajectories despite environmental perturbations, resolving the contradiction between fuel efficiency and trajectory accuracy
2Reliability
If complex trajectory simulation and correction systems are implemented, then trajectory accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates virtual copies of the vehicle's trajectory through Monte Carlo simulations, introducing controlled errors to model real-world perturbations. By working with these simulated trajectory models rather than directly controlling the physical vehicle, the system can evaluate multiple correction strategies computationally before implementing the optimal solution, maintaining accuracy while managing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical trajectory control systems with computational models. Instead of using complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, the system uses software-based Monte Carlo simulations and thrust profile optimizations to achieve precise trajectory control, reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining or improving accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A trajectory determination system configured to: obtain a reference trajectory for an extraterrestrial vehicle; obtain a truth trajectory for the extraterrestrial vehicle that identifies estimated movement of the extraterrestrial vehicle from an initial state towards a user-specified target; separate a duration of the reference trajectory into a plurality of operational cycles, wherein each of the plurality of operational cycles represent time durations in which the extraterrestrial vehicle flies a particular trajectory before updating an onboard thrust profile based on an estimate of a state of the extraterrestrial vehicle; obtain a thrust profile for an operational cycle of the plurality of operational cycles; apply the thrust profile to the truth trajectory for the operational cycle, wherein applying the thrust profile reduces at least some movement of the extraterrestrial vehicle due to the error.