| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | Stoian Borissov sborissov@tamu.edu Aerospace Engineering |
| Faculty Mentor: | Daniele Mortari, Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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Summer 2017: TBD |
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Team Size:
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8 (Team Full) |
| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Co-authorship on journal and conference papers, potential opportunity to visit Johnson Space Center |
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Team Needs:
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Scripting, MATLAB, GMAT, basic electrical engineering |
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Description:
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The ‘X-Nav’ team is dedicated to developing the technologies required for spacecraft navigation using X-Ray pulsars. X-ray pulsars are distant but highly energetic stars that flash at a regular interval and their light may be used to aid spacecraft navigation. This navigation technique has been tossed around by academics for decades, however our goal is to produce a fully fleshed out simulation of an interplanetary mission using x-nav. Through partnerships with Goddard Space Flight Center and Johnson Space Center, we will be be testing navigation algorithms and hardware tech. There will be heavy use of scripting languages such as MATLAB as well as mission simulation tools such as NASA’s GMAT software. Students in this group will be responsible for first familiarizing themselves with the state of the art of x-nav. Online articles as well publications from academic journals will be given to students. Several copies of textbooks on pulsar astronomy will also be made available. The final results of students’ work will be published in conference proceedings and may even be incorporated into journal articles. A strong background in the fundamentals of linear algebra and calculus as well as familiarity with scripting are required. |