NAVIGATION
Congratulations, you have been chosen as the Navigation (NAV) officer for this important mission. As a member of the NAV team, you are responsible for tracking the position of the Spacecraft and getting the Mission Commander in orbit around Europa. Your calculations will be vital to getting the Mission Commander to orbit Europa and send the probe to the surface and return to the Jupiter Gateway. Once the probe has been launched, you are responsible for getting the Spacecraft back to the Jupiter Gateway. You will be communicating with the NRG team to verify the navigation plans.
Your objectives for this mission are:
- Navigate the spacecraft towards Europa, and
- Safely return the Marius spacecraft to the Jupiter Gateway
You will need to follow every step in these TASK CARDS, without skipping a single step. Contact the Flight Director via chat if you have questions. Do not begin the first step until told to do so by the Mission Commander.
If you need assistance at any point during the mission, send a message to “Help Desk” in the call software CHAT. They are there to answer your questions and provide help for the duration of the mission.
JUPITER GATEWAY TO EUROPA
1. Read the information on Spacecraft travel by clicking on the box labeled SPACECRAFT TRAVEL.
SPACECRAFT TRAVEL
The spacecraft traveled for 6 years to get from Earth to the Jupiter Gateway. Today, the Mission Commander will need to complete the journey from the Jupiter Gateway to orbit Europa so that the probe can be sent to the surface and get data.
Europa is 7,250,000 km from the Jupiter Gateway.
The spacecraft has been traveling at 50,000 km/hr for 6 days.
PROXIMITY TO EUROPA DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
Notepad
JUPITER GATEWAY TO EUROPA, CONT.
3. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
4. Select “COM” from the drop-down menu.
5. Type the following message:
This is NAV. The Spacecraft is nearing Europa. The Spacecraft needs to continue for _______________ km. Standby for directions for Europa orbit insertion.
6. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.
7. Read the information on Spacecraft travel by clicking on the box labeled EUROPA APPROACH.
EUROPA APPROACH
Once the Spacecraft has reached Europa, it will need to orbit it. Europa is traveling at 50,000 km/hr. We will need to reach Europa and then allow the gravity of Europa to pull us into their orbit. The Spacecraft needs to go 3500 km/hr to be pulled into an orbit around Europa allowing Europa’s gravity to dominate.
8. Open the EUROPA APPROACH DATA LOG and calculate if the Spacecraft needs to speed up or slow down to orbit Europa.
EUROPA APPROACH DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
THRUST
THRUST
Thrust is the force which moves a spacecraft through the air and through space.
Thrust is generated by the propulsion system of the Spacecraft through the application of Newton’s third law of motion; For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. If the Spacecraft is slowing down, we will need to turn the Spacecraft around so that the engine’s thrust is in reverse to slow down the Spacecraft. If the Spacecraft is speeding up, we will keep it in the same direction and fire the engines to direct the thrust behind the Spacecraft and propel it faster.
Thrust is measured in Newtons.
2. Open the EUROPA ORBIT INSERTION DATA LOG and determine the direction and thrust needed to enter Europa’s orbit. The NRG team will also be calculating the thrust and direction needed.
EUROPA ORBIT INSERTION DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
THRUST
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “NRG” from the drop-down menu.
3. Type the following message:
This is NAV. Please verify that Thrust Plan _____ is confirmed for Europa orbit insertion.
4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit Enter
5. Once NRG has confirmed the Thrust Plan, use the call software to send the following message in the CHAT to the COM team.
This is NAV. The NRG Team has confirmed Thrust Plan ____. Standby for Europa orbit insertion.
6. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.
7. Standby for Europa Orbit Insertion.
8. Notify the Flight Director that you have completed your primary tasks.
ATTENTION: Stop here until the probe is launched and probe data has been received.
SPACECRAFT RETURN TO JUPITER GATEWAY
Follow these directions to return the Spacecraft to the Jupiter Gateway:
- 1. Read the information on Spacecraft return to the Jupiter Gateway by clicking on the box labeled JUPITER GATEWAY RETURN.
JUPITER GATEWAY RETURN
In order for the Spacecraft to return to the Jupiter Gateway, the Spacecraft must escape the gravitational pull of Europa. The surface gravity of Europa is 1.315 m/s2. This compared to Earth’s surface gravity of 9.8 m/s2. Since the mass of Europa is so much less than the Earth and similar to the size of our Moon, its escape velocity is more like our Moon.
The escape velocity of Europa is 7,290 km/hr which equals 2.025 km/s.
Our system for leaving Europa’s gravity needs to be calculated in m/s. You need to calculate how many meters per second the spacecraft needs to travel.
2. Open the EUROPA ESCAPE VELOCITY DATA LOG and calculate how many m/s the Spacecraft needs to travel in order to leave Europa’s gravity. The Spacecraft also needs the right amount of thrust to leave Europa’s surface gravity.
3. Answer the questions on the EUROPA ESCAPE VELOCITY DATA LOG.
EUROPA ESCAPE VELOCITY DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
Notepad
SPACECRAFT RETURN TO JUPITER GATEWAY
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “COM” from the drop-down menu.
3. Type the following message in the CHAT:
This is NAV. The Spacecraft needs to leave Europa’s gravity at __________ m/s. To achieve this, set the thrust at _____________ Newtons for 1 minute.
4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.
5. The Spacecraft is now traveling at 7,293 km/hr (2.025 km/sec). The Spacecraft needs to travel at 50,000 km/hr to return to the Jupiter Gateway and be outside the radiation belts.
6. Open the EUROPA RETURN TO GATEWAY DATA LOG and answer the questions.
EUROPA RETURN TO GATEWAY DATA LOG
OPEN DATA LOG
Notepad
SPACECRAFT RETURN TO JUPITER GATEWAY
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “NRG” from the drop-down menu.
3. Type the following message:
This is NAV. Please verify that Plan _____ is confirmed for Marius to return to the Jupiter Gateway.
4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit Enter
5. Once NRG has confirmed the return Plan, use the call software to send the following message in the CHAT to the COM team.
This is NAV. The NRG team has confirmed that Plan ____ will return Marius to the Jupiter Gateway. Standby for docking clearance.
4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.
DOCKING WITH GATEWAY
Follow these directions to return the Spacecraft to dock with the Jupiter Gateway:
1. Read the information on Spacecraft docking with the Jupiter Gateway by clicking on the box labeled DOCKING WITH GATEWAY.
DOCKING WITH GATEWAY
Hand-eye coordination, transferring mental images to a monitor screen, following the proper maneuver sequences, and the ability to track several functions simultaneously as in video games actually do have real-life payoffs.
As the Mission Commander closes in on the Jupiter Gateway, they must use a laser to assure that they are in line with the docking target.
Practice on the simulators and classroom education on scientific principles at work help astronauts approach the maneuver with confidence.
2. Locate the CHAT in the call software.
3. Select “COM” from the drop down menu.
4. Type the following message:
This is NAV. Please alert the Mission Commander and all Mission Controllers that the Spacecraft is ready to dock with the Jupiter Gateway. Observe your monitors.
5. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or hit ENTER so that the COM officer can read it and deliver it to the Mission Commander.
DOCKING WITH GATEWAY SIMULATION
Follow these directions to simulate docking with the Jupiter Gateway.
1. Once you open the docking simulator, click on INSTRUCTIONS to learn manuevering and docking tips.
2. Click here to practice docking: Docking Simulator.
3. Once you have successfully docked, notify the Mission Commandor by using the CHAT feature in your call software.
1. Locate the CHAT in your call software.
2. Select “Flight Director” from the drop-down menu.
3. Type the following message:
This is NAV. I have completed all my tasks.
4. Once you have typed it in the CHAT, make sure to hit SEND or ENTER.
5. Wait quietly for any further instructions.