2012.C.3.2 Low Mass Radio Science Transponder – Navigation Anywhere

Author(s)

Courtney Duncan (1)

NASA-JPL-Caltech

Session

C.3 – Navigation, Control, Tracking, and Formation for Interplanetary CubeSat Missions

Keywords

Navigation, Gravity, Transponder, Radio Occultation, Two Way Ranging, Two Way Doppler

Abstract

CubeSats leaving the vicinity of earth will not have access to GPS or other forms of terrestrial navigation. The Low Mass Radio Science Transponder (LMRST) is a bare-bones, two-way Doppler and ranging transponder, based on well established navigation techniques in use by the Deep Space Network. LMRST-Sat is a TRL-raising demonstration mission for a developmental model of the X-Band LMRST exciter. Ka-Band and higher power versions are also in development.

In addition to navigation throughout the solar system, LMRST enables radiometric science such as gravity field determination and planetary atmosphere profiling via radio occultation.

This presentation will describe LMRST, LMRST-Sat, and possible future uses of the technology.