Mars Phoenix mission -- Simulating the approach with Orbiter

[tony]

Here's a scenerio file that starts the day before Phoenix lands on Mars. The Delta Glider is placed on Phoenix's trajectory. If you run it through, the Delta Glider passes through Mars' atmosphere near its North Pole, and then escapes. See if you can pilot it to a landing. Trajectory data is from JPL Horizons.

[SIZE=2]BEGIN_DESC[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]The Delta Glider cruises along Phoenix's trajectory 1 day prior to landing in Mars' polar ice. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_DESC[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]System Sol[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Date MJD 54610[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_ENVIRONMENT[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_FOCUS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Ship GL-01[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_FOCUS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_CAMERA[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TARGET GL-01[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]MODE Extern[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]POS 44.11 -21.98 -9.37[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TRACKMODE TargetRelative[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]FOV 10.00[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_CAMERA[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_MFD Left[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TYPE Orbit[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]PROJ Ship[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]FRAME Ecliptic[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]REF Sun[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TARGET Saturn[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_MFD[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_MFD Right[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TYPE Orbit[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]PROJ Ecliptic[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]REF Jupiter[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]TARGET Io[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_MFD[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]BEGIN_SHIPS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]GL-01:DeltaGlider[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]STATUS Orbiting Mars[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]RPOS 27010861.7327692 -230019823.809026 -417972756.330296[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]RVEL -120.938549743742 1319.23577456442 2345.58499804538[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]AROT -1.37 24.96 159.82[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]PRPLEVEL 0:0.490 1:0.938[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]NAVFREQ 402 94 0 0[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]XPDR 0[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]END_SHIPS[/SIZE]

 

[ryan]

You can actually simulate it with the real phoenix, it's on AVSIM somewhere.

 

[tony]

You are right. Brian put together a nice package available here:

http://library.avsim.net/search.php?SearchTerm=phoenix+mars&CatID=root

 

[dougkeenan]

I love this place. I just knew somebody would put one together - thanks!!!

 

[Peter3210]

Here's a series of screenshots that I snapped from a number of selected angles as I ran Brian Jones' excellent Phoenix Mars Mission package for Orbiter. Good job Brian!

 

[BigDAS]

 

[Brad]

Jettison of the solar panels WAY to early, however the rest of the vid is nice!

 

[BigDAS]

Jettison of the solar panels WAY to early, however the rest of the vid is nice!

Yeah, I know. The solar package contained the observation cameras and they would be out of sight of the lander at that distance.

 

[BrianJ]

Hey folks!
nice to see people having some fun with the add-on

Here's a scenario that includes the MRO, which is pretty much overhead at the landing site when Phoenix arrives. I haven't tried it yet, but it might be fun to use Artlav's TelescopeMFD to observe the reentry.

Would be nice to have MEX (there's an add-on out there somewhere, but not with BeagleII I think) and Mars Odyssey (not available for Orbiter as far as I know), which are also involved in monitoring the Phoenix EDL.
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mro/spotlight/20080523a.html

All the best,
Brian

BEGIN_DESC
20:00 UTC 25/05/08
END_DESC
 
BEGIN_ENVIRONMENT
System Sol
Date MJD 54611.833333333
END_ENVIRONMENT
 
BEGIN_FOCUS
Ship Phoenix
END_FOCUS
 
BEGIN_CAMERA
TARGET Phoenix
MODE Cockpit
FOV 40.00
END_CAMERA
 
BEGIN_HUD
TYPE Docking
NAV 0
END_HUD
 
BEGIN_MFD Left
TYPE Orbit
PROJ Ship
FRAME Ecliptic
ALT
REF Mars
END_MFD
 
BEGIN_MFD Right
TYPE Surface
SPDMODE 1
END_MFD
 
BEGIN_SHIPS
Phoenix:Vessels/B_MPX/mpx
STATUS Orbiting Mars
RPOS 7237088.69722031 -17212085.6903389 -39157571.5173608
RVEL -155.954921285466 1458.41946917299 2627.16021440551
AROT 18.59 12.67 54.57
PRPLEVEL 0:0.5
NAVFREQ 0 0
CONFIGURATION 0
ROCKS 0
TEX 0
SOLP 1 1.0000
CHUTES 0 0.0000
LEGS 0 0.0000
COL 0 0.0000
END
MRO:spacecraft/spacecraft3
STATUS Orbiting Mars
RPOS 1747341.76 3220135.15 -309034.42
RVEL -1793.565 704.494 -2815.653
AROT 166.56 31.89 148.17
PRPLEVEL 0:1.000
NAVFREQ 0 0
RCS 1
CTRL_SURFACE 1
CONFIGURATION 1
CURRENT_PAYLOAD 0
SEQ 0 2 1.000000
SEQ 1 -2 0.000000
SEQ 2 -2 0.000000
SEQ 3 -2 0.000000
SEQ 4 -2 0.000000
SEQ 5 2 1.000000
SEQ 6 -2 0.000000
SEQ 7 2 1.000000
END
END_SHIPS
 
BEGIN_ExtMFD
END