LISA Pathfinder: a single simulator for Operations and Science

摘要

The LISA Pathfinder spacecraft aims to demonstrate the technology needed in order to study the gravitational waves from space. The LISA Pathfinder mission is peculiar because, unlike "traditional" missions, its payload and the spacecraft operate as a single unit: the attitude control of the spacecraft is driven by one of the two demonstration payloads (i.e. the LISA Technology Package or the Disturbance Reduction System). This aspect influenced the development of the LISA Pathfinder operational simulator, which is not only the means for validating the ESOC ground segment and training the Mission Control Team, but it also produces high fidelity science data with the Science Operations Extensions. The requirements for the LISA Pathfinder SOE originate from the ESA Science and Technology Operations Centre in Madrid, the "Institut fur Gravitationsphysik der Leibniz Universitat" in Hannover and the ESA Flight Control Team. The requirements cover both the improvement of the accuracy of the simulator models and the provision of additional functionalities. This paper will present the Science Operations Extensions implemented in the LISA Pathfinder operational simulator and the results of the first comparison between the in-flight experiments and the simulated models.