NOVA-C
Add-on for Orbiter2016

REQUIREMENTS
Launch scenario requires:
Falcon9 for Orbiter2016
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/resources/falcon9-for-orbiter2016.291/

RECOMMENDED
LC39A SpaceX
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/resources/lc39a-spacex.3092/

InterplanetaryMFD
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/resources/interplanetary-mfd.5500/

LTMFD
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/resources/lunartransfer-mfd-ltmfd.5501/

PursuitMFD
https://www.orbiter-forum.com/resources/pursuitmfd-2016.3096/

INSTALLATION
Extract all files to the root of your Orbiter2016 program directory, preserving the directory structure. This should NOT overwrite anything in the standard Orbiter package.

WHAT'S IN THIS ADD-ON?
The Nova-C lunar lander, EagleCam cubesat, Doge1 cubesat.
Malapert_A_Rim lunar base for use as landing target.
Launch scenario for 15 Feb 2024.

MISSION
Nova-C is scheduled to land on the rim of Malapert A crater on the Moon.

EagleCam is a payload of Nova-C, to be deployed shortly before touchdown at an altitude of ~40m, to take the first 3rd person view image of a spacecraft landing on the Moon.

Doge1 cubesat is a rideshare on Falcon9, going to lunar orbit via a WSB-Ballistic trajectory.

NOTES
Nova-C will spend one day in Lunar orbit before touchdown.
Landing site is in darkness until  ~12:00 UTC, 18 Jan 2024, so don't land before then.

Launch date of 12 Jan 2024 requires an extended lunar transfer of ~5.5 days, or a phasing loop orbit of Earth before making final TLI burn.

My selected landing site is marked by lunar base Malapert_A_Rim at
Longitude/Latitude -6.8123 -80.3596 .

Doge1 cubesat WSB-Ballistic trajectory to the Moon has not been considered for this add-on  may require further burn of Falcon9 upper stage after Nova-C release.
NOVA-C Descent Autopilot 
Nova-C has an onboard autopilot that will deorbit and land the spacecraft.

Requires initial orbit between 100km x 100km and 100km x 20km (periapsis near target).
Maximum crossrange error 200km.

Enter landing site Long/Lat [V]
Engage autopilot [P] at ~1000km range to target (burn usually starts  ~700km range)

At 5km altitude, autopilot will perform a search for flattest landing area within 500m, and set the new landing site target coordinates.

At 40m altitude, autopilot deploys EagleCam

Sequence:
100km to 15km : Deorbit and null crossrange error
15km to landing : Final approach phase
10km alt.: Orient solar panels South or North (depending on landing site latitude)
5km alt.: Search for flattest landing area within 500m and set as new target.
40m alt.: EagleCam jettisoned

NOVA-C Controls and Data
Nova-C has 3-axis rotation RCS (not balanced) and +/- Z axis linear RCS.

[V] 	Enter landing site longitude and latitude.
[P] 	Start/stop descent autopilot.
[B] 	Perform search for flattest area within 500m of landing site
[N] 	Use the search result long/lat as new landing target
[J] 	Jettison EagleCam
[E] 	Set cockpit view forward/back
[K] 	Lidar On/Off

Dry Mass			624 kg
Propellant		         	1284 kg
Main Engine Thrust		4000 N
Main Engine ISP		3600 Ns/kg
RCS Engine Thrust	   	10 N (x 16)
RCS Engine ISP	 	800 Ns/kg



EAGLECAM IMAGING (only with D3D9 Graphics Client 4.26 or later)
EagleCam cubesat is deployed from Nova-C at altitude ~40m before touchdown.

It will automatically take a series of 6 images, capturing the Nova-C landing.
Images are saved as .bmp in Orbiter/Images/EagleCam folder.

Imaging can be disabled by editing Orbiter/Config/Vessels/nova_c/eaglecam.cfg
using DisableImaging = true



EAGLECAM Controls and Data
EagleCam has no propulsion or RCS, but does have Momentum Wheel attitude control.

[Shift]+[NumPad]	Momentum Wheel rotation control
[Shift]+[NumPad5]	Momentum Wheel Kill-Rotation
[B]		Start/stop imaging (image every 2s)

Mass 			1kg


DOGE1 Controls and Data
Doge1 has a small Ion engine and Momentum Wheel attitude control

[Shift]+[NumPad]	Momentum Wheel rotation control
[Shift]+[NumPad5]	Momentum Wheel Kill-Rotation

Dry Mass		13.7 kg
Propellant		  0.3 kg
Main Engine Thrust   0.001 N
Main Engine ISP	 20000 Ns/kg




BrianJ
November 2023


