ESA GNC Conference Papers Repository

For the cost reduction of avionics equipment for launch vehicles, we did cost analyses of avionics equipment for H-IIA rocket and found that more than a half of the total cost of avionics equipment is occupied by the cost of specially qualified space electronic parts. This is due to the special requirements for rocket avionics equipment, high vibration, wide temperature range, and severe space radiation environment. Since we can make use of recent automotive electronic parts which are less expensive and have environmental resistance for high vibration and wide temperature range, only space radiation environment is a major issue. Thus JAXA has been studying the radiation mitigation techniques using special electronic circuit technology for non-space electronic parts which are less expensive and do not have radiation tolerant capability. The radiation mitigation techniques include redundant electronic circuits, redundant modules, current monitoring and so on. Using these radiation mitigation techniques, we developed a low cost and accurate navigation system for launch vehicles named “Redundant Integrated Navigation System” (RINS). RINS uses automotive CPUs, commercial GNSS modules with special firmware for space applications, and commercial MEMS IMUs and applies above-mentioned radiation mitigation techniques for them. To evaluate RINS’s functions and performances on severe launch vehicle environments, we developed RINS engineering model (EM) and did qualification tests of RINS for launch vehicle and RINS passed all items of the qualification tests. We also did the flight test of RINS EM during launch phase by Epsilon rocket F6 launched on October 12, 2022. The RINS installed on the second stage of Epsilon rocket F6 worked normally and performed IMU-GNSS integrated navigation within the required accuracy during the launch. Another RINS flight test is the fight test on H3 rocket first flight, H3TF#1, which will be launched in February 2023. After these flight tests, RINS will be used as flight trajectory monitoring system on Japanese flagship rockets, H3 rocket and Epsilon S rocket. This paper shows the system design and manufacture of RINS which uses the radiation mitigation techniques using special electronic circuit technology for non-space electronic parts. This paper also presents the flight test results during launch phase by Epsilon rocket F6. The flight test results on H3TF#1 might be shown in the final paper.