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Optimum aim point biasing in case of a planetary quarantine constraint

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Abstract

Because of the tremendous importance attached to the conclusive demonstration of the presence or absence of extraterrestrial life in the solar system, many scientists have expressed concern that unsterile spacecraft contaminate other planets with terrestrial organisms. In response to this concern, NASA has initiated a planetary quarantine program, allowing a certain probability of impact for each mission.

This paper will discuss how planetary quarantine affects midcourse guidance. In the first part the concept of a quarantine contour will be introduced, in the second part it will be shown how to find the optimum biased aim points on this contour in order to minimize midcourse requirements.

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References

  • Craven, C. W. and Wolfson, R.P.: 1967, ‘Planetary Quarantine’, TR32-1216, December 15, 1967, Jet Propulsion Lab.

  • Dvornychenko, V. N.: 1966, ‘Approximations to Equal Probability Contours for the Gaussian Integrated Over a Circle’, JPL Technical Memorandum 312–768.

  • Dvornychenko, V. N.: 1970, ‘Algorithm for Quarantine Calculations’, TRW IOC 5332. 12–37.

  • Kizner, W.: 1961, ‘A Method of Describing Miss Distances for Lunar and Interplanetary Trajectories’,Proc. 4th AFBMD/STL Symp., Vol.3, pp. 125–131, Pergamon Press, New York, 1961.

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  • Light, J. O.: 1965, ‘A Simplified Analysis of the Launch Bias Necessary on Interplanetary Missions’, JPL Technical Memorandum 312–616.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. TRW, one Space Park, 90178, Redondo Beach, Calif, U.S.A.

    G. S. Gedeon (Senior Scientis) & V. N. Dvornychenko (Member of the Professional Staff)

Authors
  1. G. S. Gedeon
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  2. V. N. Dvornychenko
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Gedeon, G.S., Dvornychenko, V.N. Optimum aim point biasing in case of a planetary quarantine constraint. Celestial Mechanics 5, 144–156 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01229518

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01229518

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