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Pterodactyl: Control System Demonstrator Development for Integrated Control Design of a Mechanically Deployed Entry VehicleThe NASA-funded Pterodactyl project is a design, test, and build capability to (i) advance the current state of the art for Deployable Entry Vehicle (DEV) guidance and control (G&C), and (ii) determine the feasibility of control system integration for various entry vehicle types including those without aeroshells. This capability is currently being used to develop control systems for one such unconventional entry vehicle, the Lifting Nano-ADEPT (LNA) vehicle. ADEPT offers the possibility of integrating control systems directly onto the mechanically deployed structure and building hardware demonstrators will help assess integration and design challenges. Control systems based on aerodynamic control surfaces, mass movement, and reaction control systems (RCS) are currently being investigated for a down-select to the most suitable control architecture for the LNA.To that effect, in this submission, we detail the efforts of the Pterodactyl project to develop a series of hardware demonstrators for the different LNA control systems. Rapid prototypes, for a set of quarter- model or eighth-model vehicle segments, will be developed for all three architectures to validate mechanical design assumptions, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIWL) control approaches. A ground test control system demonstrator will be designed and built after the trade study is complete. The industrial-grade demonstrator will be designed so that it can be incorporated into a HWIL simulation to further validate the findings of the initial trade study. The HWIL simulation will leverage the iPAS environment developed at NASA's Johnson Space Center which facilitates integration testing to support technology maturation and risk reduction, necessary elements for the hardware demonstration development detailed in this paper.


Document ID
20200000288
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Abstract
Authors
Margolis, Benjamin W. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Okolo, Wendy A. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
D'souza, Sarah N. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
January 14, 2020
Publication Date
January 6, 2020
Subject Category
Launch Vehicles And Launch Operations
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN69600
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition
Location: Orlando, FL
Country: United States
Start Date: January 6, 2020
End Date: January 10, 2020
Sponsors: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 255421.04.01.18.01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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