Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (BrianJ add-on)

Overview

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is the first mission in NASA's planned return to the moon. LRO will launch Feb. 27, 2009, with the objectives to finding safe landing sites, locate potential resources, characterize the radiation environment and test new technology.

The return to the moon will enable the pursuit of scientific activities that address our fundamental questions about the history of Earth, the solar system and the universe -- and about our place in them. It will allow us to test technologies, systems, flight operation and exploration techniques to reduce the risk and increase the productivity of future missions to Mars and beyond. It will also expand Earth's economic sphere to conduct lunar activities with benefits to life on our home planet.

LRO is an unmanned mission to create the comprehensive atlas of the moon's features and resources necessary to design and build a lunar outpost. LRO focuses on the selection of safe landing sites, identification of lunar resources and the study of how lunar radiation will affect humans.

After launch, the LCROSS shepherding spacecraft and the Atlas V’s Centaur upper stage rocket will execute a fly-by of the moon and enter into an elongated Earth orbit to position LCROSS for impact on a lunar pole. On final approach, the shepherding spacecraft and Centaur will separate. The Centaur will act as a heavy impactor to create a debris plume that will rise above the lunar surface. Following four minutes behind, the shepherding spacecraft will fly through the debris plume, collecting and relaying data back to Earth before impacting the lunar surface and creating a second debris plume.

The debris plumes are expected to be visible from Earth- and space-based telescopes 10-to-12 inches and larger.

This is a difficult and challenging mission. Experienced orbinauts will enjoy the challenge of targeting the LCROSS to impact the south pole of the moon, when the LRO spacecraft is overhead. This mission is not recommended for people recently starting to use Orbiter.

Mission Objectives

LRO

The objective of the LRO mission is to map the lunar surface in preparation for the return of human missions to the moon, which are planned to occur by 2020.

LCROSS

Earth’s closest neighbor is holding a secret. In 1999, hints of that secret were revealed in the form of concentrated hydrogen signatures detected in permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles by NASA’s Lunar Prospector. These readings may be an indication of lunar water and could have far-reaching implications as humans expand exploration past low-Earth orbit. The Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission is seeking a definitive answer.

required add-ons

• Atlas V heavy V2 by Kev33
• IMFD 5.1m

optional add-ons

• Attitude MFD or UNIVPTG MFD
• Telescope MFD

Procedures

Accuracy of burns in this mission is CRITICAL. During this mission, especially after the TLI burn, we will be using the tools TransX or IMFD to get the DIRECTION of our burns, and using IMFD map to monitor in real time the MAGNITUDE of the DeltaV we are imparting. For this mission, usually the AUTOBURN button is NOT your friend.

Launch

Fire up the 01 - AV020 LRO launch scenario in the LRO scenarios folder This is a night launch so visibility is poor until after the TLI burn. The scenario starts at UTC 2/28/2009 2:07:00. Launch time is UTC 2:08:07. The default camera view is Ground Observer. You have just under a minute to set up the camera to your personal preference.

At UTC 2:07:57 press the p key to start the launch countdown.

At T-5 seconds, engine ignition will happen, and the hold down clamps release at T-0. The Atlas V-401 booster has a launch autopilot to guide you until booster cutoff. Pressing p again will disable the autopilot, but this is NOT recommended, as the booster has no RCS control.

10 seconds after booster separation, press the p key again.

This will ignite the second stage Centaur engine, and engage the second state autopilot. Pressing p again will disengage the second stage autopilot, but again, this is not recommended. While the second stage does have RCS control, the autopilot will put the vehicle in a circular 185km parking orbit.

Shortly after second stage ignition, the fairing will be jettisoned, and the LRO/LCROSS spacecraft will be exposed.

TLI

After SECO, while established in the 185km parking orbit, set the Left MFD to IMFD.

Click Menu, then Configuration. 
Click Nxt, then + to change the Mission timer to MJD mode. 
Click Nxt ten times to hightlight Parking Orbit Alt. 
Click Set, and set this to 185k

Click Menu, then Course.