GNC PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING IN NRO ORBITS AROUND THE MOON
16, March 2018

ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9296
Open Date: 12/03/2018
Closing Date: 23/04/2018 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 18.1EC.01
Prog. Ref.: Technology Developme
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Launchers / Avionics / Others / Sequential units, ¿
Techology Domains: Space System Control / Control Techniques and Tools / Modelling Techniques
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. & Quality
Department: System, Software & Technology Department
Contract Officer: Seynaeve, Christophe Rene R.
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 12/03/2018
Update Reason: Tender issue

The objective of this activity is to design and prototype the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) system for rendezvous and docking (RvD) in a Near Rectilinear Orbit (NRO) around the Moon. The activity will focus of the pre-development and prototyping of the GNC of a Lunar Ascent Element (LAE) for both the ascent and RvD/berthing mission arcs with a Moon space station called Deep Space Gateway (DSG) located in the NRO orbit. The main tasks to accomplish the objectives are listed here after.1) GNC requirements gathering and analysis: this comprises the mission scenarios analysis and extraction of requirements. This task covers an exhaustive systemanalysis study about rendezvous trajectory design considering safety requirements, GNC techniques and technologies, thus arriving atrequirement specifications of a reference rendezvous scenario and GNC simulation tool. This task provides a preliminary analysis ofthe overall rendezvous strategy including rendezvous trajectory design down to GNC level, including the definition of the simulation tool, leading the selection of the guidance and control algorithms. This tasks also includes the collision avoidance manoeuvres, hold points, safe spheres, retreat areas, etc.2) GNC design: the guidance and control algorithms will be designed using analysis toolsto assess the performances in nominal scenario considering the uncertainties (in particular from navigation chain). It comprisesthedesign of a non-linear simulation tool covering as well GNC performance verification, robustness and bench marking.3) GNC development and implementation of the algorithms: The task is related to the development of the non-linear simulation tool, and coding andintegration of the selected GNC algorithms into the simulation tool. This task shall cover the full development of the simulationtool and the inclusion of the algorithms. The simulation tool permits the auto-coding of the algorithms for real-time testing.4) GNC demonstration of prototype to TRL 3: This task is devoted to the testing of GNC algorithms in the simulation tool and a prototypein a PIL system. The testing shall comprise a full 6DoF closed loop simulations, including trajectory safety, GNC performances, robustnessverification and validation. Monte-Carlo analysis shall be performed for the most relevant parameters of the flight of the vehiclesand in particular to refine requirements on the navigation specifications. Guidance, and control algorithms shall be bench marked in a real-time Processor-In-the-Loop (PIL) test bench to achieve confidence in the design.5) Synthesis: It contemplates the elaboration of a set of recommendation to the Agency for future work.

If you wish to access the documents related to the Invitation to Tender, you have to log in to the ESA Portal.