ESA GNC Conference Papers Repository

This paper presents the Space Rider (SR) TAEM (Terminal Area Energy Management) GNC, focusing on TAEM Hybrid Navigation, at the closure of phase B2/C of the Space Rider ESA program. Space Rider is an ESA development program that aims to provide Europe with an affordable, independent, reusable end-to-end integrated space transportation system for routine access and return from low orbit. It will be used to transport payloads for an array of applications, orbit altitudes and inclinations. The paper presents an overview of the TAEM GNC, especially focusing on the Hybrid Navigation solution, as developed in phase B2/C of the Space Rider program, designed to take the vehicle from TAEM Entry Point (TEP) (~Mach 2.5, 30.5km) to subsonic conditions at the parachute release (~Mach 0.73, 16km). The paper provides information on the TAEM GNC concept, especially focusing on the Hybrid Navigation design, definition and justification. The promising simulation results obtained demonstrate a high level of performance of the TAEM Hybrid Navigation, as well as robustness against conservative (enlarged) model uncertainties and mission parameters dispersion, proving the effectiveness of DEIMOS Hybrid Navigation solution for a demanding flight phase such as the TAEM.