Enhanced Path Planning, Guidance, and Estimation Algorithms for NASA's GMAT

Advanced trajectory design and estimation capabilities in complex nonlinear dynamical regimes represent two of the greatest technical challenges of modern space flight. The impact of nonlinear effects in both path planning and estimation is often most noticeable when the spacecraft under consideration transitions through a region of space where multiple exogenous perturbations become significant. Perhaps the most salient example of such effects are libration point missions. To address these challenges, DECISIVE ANALYTICS Corporation seeks to advance the capabilities of NASA's open source General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) by integrating the latest advances in trajectory path planning and estimation, including multi-sensor data fusion. This includes the development of an advanced path planning capability that leverages concepts from dynamical systems theory, multi-phase targeting, and visualization for trajectory design in regions where multi-body effects are significant. Parallel to that, we are developing an advanced estimation capability that leverages approximately $10 million of research and development performed by DECISIVE ANALYTICS for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the US Air Force. The capabilities sought during Phase II will leverage two GMAT prototype plugins, developed as part of the prior Phase I effort, that partially demonstrate some of the functionality proposed.

The Advanced Path Planning (APP) and Advanced Estimation (AE) plugins developed by DECISIVE ANALYTICS Corporation (DAC) for the Generalized Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) will offer end-users enhanced capabilities to adequately assess and address the effects of system nonlinearities, both in mission design and analysis. The APP plugin will allow GMAT users to leverage concepts from dynamical systems theory, multi-phase targeting, and visualization for trajectory design in regions where multi-body effects are significant, such as near libration points. The AE plugin will offer GMAT users access to algorithms and tools that adequately characterize the effects of nonlinearities in the true posterior probability density during the estimation process, consideration of multi-modal joint distributions, and multi-sensor data fusion.

The algorithms and underlying capabilities provided by the products developed under Phase II are generally applicable outside of NASA's mission. One of these products leverages Guide and Adapt, tools for probabilistic inference and multi-sensor data fusion developed by DECISIVE ANALTYICS Corporation under various contracts with the Missile Defense Agency and the US Air Force. Because we already have customers for these tools, any enhanced capabilities developed under a Phase II contract will enable us to provide additional services to them as well. Furthermore, the proposed generalizations to the architectural framework of the multi-phase targeting algorithm will facilitate support of a broader class of problems in path planning and guidance as it pertains to autonomous vehicles. Thus, relevant components of the product can be adapted to satisfy applications relevant to DOD customers as well.

This is a mature technology (TRL 8) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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