GPS/INS NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR LAUNCHERS AND RE-ENTRY VEHICLES - DEVELOPMENTS AND ADAPTATION TO ARIANE 5

摘要

The need for a versatile multi-sensors navigation chain is emerging from the technical & costs challenges faced by re-entry vehicles and launchers. Astrium has been involved for many years in European navigation developments and has developed innovative INS/GPS solutions towards an integrated navigation concept. In the frame of the ESA TRP "CapRee" study, solutions have been designed and prototyped to support the needs for a fully autonomous and high accuracy sample return capsule. The ARD GPS experiment allowed to characterize the GPS receiver key design parameters through the post-flight analysis performed by Astrium. CNES has started in 1999 the Ariane 2010 initiative in a thorough review to reduce production and operation costs for Ariane 5 launcher. The objective is a 50 % cost reduction for the Ariane 5 avionics chain. Astrium has been involved in that context through the on-going R&T "Hybrid INS/GPS navigation on Ariane 5" to design an INS/GPS solution for Ariane 5 that would offer significant costs savings. After introducing the CapRee concept and main achievements, lessons learned form ARD are discussed. The paper focuses then on the design and adaptation of the INS/GPS concept to Ariane 5. The integration concept derived from space applications appears as a key for cost reduction and acceptability for hybrid concept.