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Autonomy capabilities of European deep space probes

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Abstract

The European Space Agency ESA is currently preparing the two deep space missions, Huygens and Rosetta. This paper reviews the related requirements for autonomous operations in a poorly known environment. While for Huygens emphasis is on the control of the descent through Titan's atmosphere, for Rosetta the safe drilling of material samples in the microgravity environment of a comet is analysed. The control concepts to enable adaptive reactions in an uncertain, remote environment are summarized for the crucial mission phases. The performance results obtained from computer simulations are presented and discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Steinbeis Transferzentrum ARS/FH Ravensburg-Weingarten, Postfach 1261, D-88241, Weingarten, Germany

    K. Schilling

  2. European Space Agency/ESTEC, P.O.Box 299, NL-2200, AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands

    J. De Lafontaine

  3. Steinbeis Transferzentrum ARS/FH Ravensburg-Weingarten, Postfach 1261, D-88241, Weingarten, Germany

    H. Roth

Authors
  1. K. Schilling
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  2. J. De Lafontaine
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  3. H. Roth
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Schilling, K., De Lafontaine, J. & Roth, H. Autonomy capabilities of European deep space probes. Auton Robot 3, 19–30 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00162465

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00162465

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