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Title: Toward Future Space Navigation: Lunar Navigation Satellite System

Speaker: 박병운 교수님 (세종대학교)

Date&Time: 2024-11-22, 11:00 AM

Location: Science Hall B102

Talk to be delivered in Korean

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Abstract: In the era of New Space, lunar exploration serves as both a stepping stone for further space endeavors and a potential new habitation zone. Major initiatives include the USA's Artemis Program, which involves NASA, ESA, and JAXA in manned lunar exploration, and the Lunar Gateway, a space station being developed by NASA, CSA, ESA, and JAXA to orbit the Moon. Additionally, European efforts are advancing with projects such as solar orbiters, Jupiter exploration, dark matter studies, and the development of MoonLight. These efforts underscore the increasing need for advanced navigation technologies on the Moon, given the rising number of lunar missions and the prospects of establishing a lunar base and extending deep space exploration.

There are technological challenges and limitations of current lunar positioning and navigation systems, such as Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) and DSN-based Radio Navigation, which struggle with issues like limited applicability in polar or dark regions, high equipment costs, signal delays, and the need for continual updates due to changes in the lunar surface.

Highlighting the necessity for a comprehensive lunar navigation system, the discussion will extend to the development of an independent lunar navigation system, the Lunar GNSS (LNSS). This system aims to overcome the constraints of existing technologies by offering precise and reliable navigation across the entire lunar surface without the limitations of signal strength, visibility, or the number of positioning services.

Research and development goals for the LNSS will also be outlined, including the use of two-way ranging techniques for satellite positioning, optimization of lunar orbits to maximize navigation performance, and the development of user algorithms adapted to the Moon's unique operational environment.