Welcome to the Europa Aerobraking Simulation repository! This project provides a comprehensive simulation of spacecraft aerobraking around Europa, Jupiter's moon.
Aerobraking is a crucial maneuver used in spaceflight missions to adjust the trajectory of a spacecraft by utilizing the atmosphere of a celestial body, such as a planet or moon. This simulation aims to replicate the complex dynamics and challenges involved in aerobraking around Europa.
Aerobraking maneuvers around Europa involve intricate interactions between the spacecraft and the moon's thin atmosphere. The process typically consists of the following phases:
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Entry Phase: The spacecraft enters Europa's tenuous atmosphere at a high velocity, experiencing substantial aerodynamic drag. During this phase, careful control of the spacecraft's orientation and trajectory is essential to manage heating and structural stress.
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Descent Phase: As the spacecraft descends deeper into Europa's atmosphere, aerodynamic drag continues to decelerate the vehicle. The descent phase requires precise navigation to ensure the spacecraft remains on target for its desired orbit.
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Aerocapture: At a specific altitude within Europa's atmosphere, the spacecraft achieves a balance between aerodynamic drag and gravitational forces, resulting in a stable orbit around the moon. Aerocapture is a critical phase of the maneuver, requiring precise control to achieve the desired orbital parameters.
This simulation incorporates advanced modeling techniques to accurately replicate the complexities of aerobraking around Europa:
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Aerodynamic Interactions: Detailed modeling of spacecraft trajectory, aerodynamic forces, and heating profiles during atmospheric entry and descent.
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Thermal Modeling: Simulation of spacecraft temperature evolution, accounting for solar radiation absorption, heat conduction, and radiative cooling. Thermal control mechanisms are implemented to manage spacecraft temperature within safe limits.
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Spacecraft Control: Implementation of a sophisticated control system to monitor spacecraft parameters, adjust orientation, and regulate power consumption. Control algorithms optimize spacecraft performance and ensure mission success.
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Data Logging and Analysis: Comprehensive logging of telemetry data, temperature profiles, power levels, and control system feedback for post-mission analysis and performance evaluation.
To run the simulation, follow these detailed installation instructions:
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Clone the Repository:
Clone the Europa Aerobraking Simulation repository to your local machine:
git clone https://github.com/Rishit-katiyar/europa-aerobraking-simulation.git cd europa-aerobraking-simulation -
Set Up Virtual Environment:
It's recommended to use a virtual environment to manage dependencies:
python -m venv venv source venv/bin/activate # On Windows, use `venv\Scripts\activate`
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Install Dependencies:
Install the required Python packages from the
requirements.txtfile:pip install -r requirements.txt
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Run the Simulation:
Execute the simulation script to start the aerobraking simulation:
python simulation.py
Contributions are welcome! If you have any ideas for improvements, bug fixes, or new features, feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request.
This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. See the LICENSE file for details.