2016/04/15 by Tamás Baranyai, Baranyai, Tamás, András Balázs +3
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Classical Physics (physics.class-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Nuclear Physics and Applications #Planetary Science and Exploration #Space Physics (physics.space-ph) #Space Satellite Systems and Control
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1604.04414
openalex publication_date 2016/04/15 · openalex created_date 2022/10/05 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
This paper presents a partial reconstruction of the rotational dynamics of\nthe Philae spacecraft upon landing on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as part\nof ESA's Rosetta mission. We analyze the motion and the events triggered by the\nfailure to fix the spacecraft to the comet surface at the time of the first\ntouchdown. Dynamic trajectories obtained by numerical simulation of a 7\ndegree-of-freedom mechanical model of the spacecraft are fitted to directions\nof incoming solar radiation inferred from in-situ measurements of the electric\npower provided by the solar panels. The results include a lower bound of the\nangular velocity of the lander immediately after its first touchdown. Our study\nalso gives insight into the effect of the programmed turn-off of the\nstabilizing gyroscope after touchdown; the important dynamical consequences of\na small collision during Philae's journey; and the probability that a similar\nlanding scenario harms the operability of this type of spacecraft.\n