Wind-induced Dynamics Of A Deep Space Network Antenna

✍ Scribed by W. Gawronski; B. Bienkiewicz; R.E. Hill

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 373 KB
• Volume: 178
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-460X
• DOI: 10.1006/jsvi.1994.1468

✦ Synopsis

Accurate spacecraft tracking by the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas must be assured during changing weather conditions. Wind disturbances are the main source of antenna vibrations, and consequently tracking errors. A wind force model is developed, and simulation results of wind-induced vibrations and pointing errors of the DSN antennas are presented. The antenna model includes the antenna structure, the elevation and azimuth servos, and the tracking controller. Simulation results show that pointing errors due to wind gusts are of the same order as errors due to wind steady state pressure, and that (similarly to steady state wind pressure) these errors satisfy the velocity quadratic law. The methodology presented is next used for wind disturbance estimation and for design of an antenna controller with wind disturbance rejection properties.