We present studies of edge states induced by the Aharonov-Casher vector potential or Rashba-type spin-orbit interaction using quantum transport in InGaAs/InAlAs herterostructures. The Aharonov-Casher effect is electromagnetically dual to the Aharonov-Bohm effect and is predicted to lead to edge states in a parabolic confinement at two-dimensional sample edges. As a narrow gap material, InGaAs has a low effective mass, high mobility, and strong spin-orbit interaction, which indicate that it can be used as a good material to detect the Aharonov-Casher effect or SOI interaction. Using InGaAs, we measured the magnetoresistance in a quantum antidot in narrow short channels in a tilted magnetic field. The fine structure (mT spacing) observed in the magnetoresistance indicate a probable energy spacing between AC edge states. We also fabricated side-gate channel structures in InGaAs/InAlAs quantum wells and investigated the values of the Rashba spin-orbit coupling constant α using the weak antilocalization analysis as a function of the side-gate voltage. We take the effect of the finite width into account and find the corrected values. With the simulation of electric fields in the wide channel and narrow channel, we found that the electric field components can be changed using side-gate voltages. While our results do not indicate which electric field component is responsible, the data indicate that the deduced spin-orbit strength values in a narrow channel are tunable by the side-gate voltage. / Ph. D.

Solar radiation pressure (SRP) is one of the major non-gravitational forces acting on spacecraft. Acceleration by radiation pressure depends on the radiation flux; on spacecraft shape, attitude, and mass; and on the optical properties of the spacecraft surfaces. Precise modeling of SRP is needed for dynamic satellite orbit determination, space mission design and control, and processing of data from space-based science instruments. During Earth penumbra transitions, sunlight is passing through Earth's lower atmosphere and, in the process, its path, intensity, spectral composition, and shape are significantly affected. This dissertation presents a new method for highly physical SRP modeling in Earth's penumbra called Solar radiation pressure with Oblateness and Lower Atmospheric Absorption, Refraction, and Scattering (SOLAARS). The fundamental geometry and approach mirrors past work, where the solar radiation field is modeled using a number of light rays, rather than treating the Sun as a single point source. This dissertation aims to clarify this approach, simplify its implementation, and model previously overlooked factors. The complex geometries involved in modeling penumbra solar radiation fields are described in a more intuitive and complete way to simplify implementation. Atmospheric effects due to solar radiation passing through the troposphere and stratosphere are modeled, and the results are tabulated to significantly reduce computational cost. SOLAARS includes new, more efficient and accurate approaches to modeling atmospheric effects which allow us to consider the spatial and temporal variability in lower atmospheric conditions. A new approach to modeling the influence of Earth's polar flattening draws on past work to provide a relatively simple but accurate method for this important effect. Previous penumbra SRP models tend to lie at two extremes of complexity and computational cost, and so the significant improvement in accuracy provided by the complex models has often been lost in the interest of convenience and efficiency. This dissertation presents a simple model which provides an accurate alternative to the full, high precision SOLAARS model with reduced complexity and computational cost. This simpler method is based on curve fitting to results of the full SOLAARS model and is called SOLAARS Curve Fit (SOLAARS-CF). Both the high precision SOLAARS model and the simpler SOLAARS-CF model are applied to the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites. Modeling results are compared to the sub-nm/s^2 precision GRACE accelerometer data and the results of a traditional penumbra SRP model. These comparisons illustrate the improved accuracy of the SOLAARS and SOLAARS-CF models. A sensitivity analyses for the GRACE orbit illustrates the significance of various input parameters and features of the SOLAARS model on results. The SOLAARS-CF model is applied to a study of penumbra SRP and the Earth flyby anomaly. Beyond the value of its results to the scientific community, this study provides an application example where the computational efficiency of the simplified SOLAARS-CF model is necessary. The Earth flyby anomaly is an open question in orbit determination which has gone unsolved for over 20 years. This study quantifies the influence of penumbra SRP modeling errors on the observed anomalies from the Galileo, Cassini, and Rosetta Earth flybys. The results of this study prove that penumbra SRP is not an explanation for or significant contributor to the Earth flyby anomaly. / Ph. D.

The Virginia Tech Optical Satellite Tracking Telescope (VTOST) aims to test the feasibility of a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) designed tracking system for Space Situational Awareness (SSA) data contribution. A novel approach is considered, combining two COTS systems, a high-powered telescope, built for astronomy purposes, and a larger field of view (FOV) camera. Using only publicly available two-line element sets (TLEs), orbital propagation accuracy degrades quickly with time from epoch and is often not accurate enough to task a high-powered, small FOV telescope. Under this experimental approach, the larger FOV camera is used to acquire and track the resident space object (RSO) and provide a real-time pointing update to allow the high-powered telescope to track the RSO and provide possible resolved imagery. VTOST is designed as a remotely taskable sensor, based on current network architecture, capable of serving as a platform for further SSA studies, including unresolved and resolved imagery analysis, network tasking, and orbit determination. Initial design considerations are based on the latest Raven class and other COTS based telescope research, including research by the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), ExoAnalytic Solutions, and other university level telescope projects. A holistic system design, including astronomy, image processing, and tracking methods, in a low-budget environment is considered. Method comparisons and results of the system design process are presented. / Master of Science

<p dir="ltr">This research considers orbit maintenance strategies for multi-body orbits in the context of the Earth-Moon Circular Restricted Three Body Problem (CR3BP). Dynamical requirements for successful long-term orbit maintenance strategies are highlighted.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Object tracking in cislunar space has become an area of interest within many communities where cislunar space domain awareness (SDA) is critical to operations. Due to the influence of both the Earth and Moon on objects in this domain, the classical two body problem does not accurately describe the dynamics of the state. Legacy tracking capabilities fall short in providing accurate state estimates due to the large volume of space and the highly non-linear dynamics involved. In order to advance SDA in cislunar space, tracking capabilities must be updated for this domain. </p><p dir="ltr">Both the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and Gaussian Mixture Extended Kalman Filter (GM-EKF) are used for orbit determination in this thesis along side the Circular Restricted Three Body Problem (CR3BP) to model the non-linear dynamics. The filters are utilized to determine the best estimate of the state as well as its covariance. The two filter's performances are compared to highlight areas in which the assumptions surrounding the EKF are violated resulting in failed tracking, as well as to highlight the power of the GM-EKF for non-linear systems using splitting and merging techniques. </p><p dir="ltr">This thesis presents single and multiple object tracking of objects in a multitude of cislunar orbits using a Moon ground-based sensor. Multiple object tracking is accomplished using a novel Lyapunov-based scheduler in order to reduce the total system uncertainty. The environment is modeled to include exclusion zones which preclude measurements. These zones consist of conjunction from the Earth and Sun, brightness constraints, and camera field of regard (FOR). When measurements are unavailable the uncertainty in the state estimation rises significantly.</p><p dir="ltr">An investigation of varied sensor placements and Sun-Earth-Moon geometries provides results to inform locations and trends which are able to confidently track both single and multiple objects in cislunar orbits. </p>

This thesis serves to provide a conceptual mission design for a Titan-orbiting stellar occultation mission. Titan has a significant atmosphere much like Earth's. An improved understanding of Titan's atmosphere could provide valuable information about the evolution of Earth's climate. Titan's atmosphere is known to be in a state of superrotation, wherein the atmosphere rotates significantly faster than the surface beneath. The details of the creation and sustainment of this extreme state on Titan in terms of angular momentum exchange remain unknown despite current theories and models. These unknowns, alongside inconsistencies between current models with observations from the Cassini mission, call for an urgent need for Titan atmospheric observations able to resolve atmospheric waves. The science objectives driving the mission design include maximizing the number of measurements, the latitude versus longitude coverage, the latitude versus local solar time coverage, and the mission duration. These measurement needs can be met by a Titan orbiter utilizing a refractive stellar occultation technique. Refractive stellar occultation observes starlight bending through an atmosphere as stars set behind a body. The observed bending profile can be inverted to infer density, temperature, and pressure profiles. This research uses Systems Tool Kit (STK) as a simulation tool to predict measurement coverage for various orbits. The orbital radius was determined to be the driving independent variable which set all other design variables, including the orbital plane which was uniquely selected for a given orbital radius to maximize the number of occultations. The results of this study show that a lower orbital radius is desired as this produces the best combination of measurement number and distribution. This orbital plane should be closely aligned with the Milky Way galactic plane to see the most stars occult. For the lowest sustainable orbital altitude, Low Titan Orbit (LTO) at 1200 km, the orbital plane should be nearly polar to maximize the number of occultations and latitude coverage. The optimal orbit selection (defined by orbital elements a = 3775 km, e = 0, i = 85 degrees, Ω = 87 degrees, ω = 0 degrees, and ν = 0 degrees) for a single satellite can produce nearly 400 stellar occultation opportunities per orbit and provide full latitude versus longitude coverage. A single satellite shows gaps in latitude versus local solar time coverage at mid-latitudes normal to the satellite ground track which may inhibit the diagnosis of the angular momentum flux associated with thermal tides. If necessary, a second satellite in an orbit orthogonal to the first is suggested to close coverage gaps to provide full local time coverage over a Titan day. The optimal orbit selection of this second satellite (defined by orbital elements a = 3775 km, e = 0, i = 5.3 degrees, Ω = 5.9 degrees, ω = 0 degrees, and ν = 0 degrees) provides an additional 343 occultation opportunities per orbit and increases latitude versus local solar time coverage by a factor of 1.5. The understanding of Titan's Earth-like atmosphere could provide insight into climate evolution here on Earth. This concept proposes a novel approach to improving this understanding. / Master of Science / This thesis serves to provide a conceptual mission design for a Titan-orbiting stellar occultation mission. Titan, one of Saturn's 82 moons, has a significant atmosphere much like Earth's. An improved understanding of Titan's atmosphere could provide valuable information about the evolution of Earth's climate. Titan's atmosphere is known to be in a state of superrotation, wherein the atmosphere rotates significantly faster than the surface beneath. The details of the creation and sustainment of this extreme state on Titan remain unknown despite current theories and models. These unknowns, alongside inconsistencies between current models with observations from the Cassini mission, call for an urgent need for Titan atmospheric observation. The science objectives driving the mission design include maximizing the number of measurements, the latitude versus longitude coverage, the latitude versus local solar time coverage (on a 24-hour scale), and the mission duration. These measurement needs can be met by a Titan orbiter utilizing a refractive stellar occultation technique. Refractive stellar occultation observes starlight bending through an atmosphere as stars set behind a body. The observed bending profile can be inverted to infer density, temperature, and pressure profiles. This research uses a simulation tool to predict measurement coverage for various orbits. The radius of the orbit was determined to be the driving independent variable which set all other design variables, including the orbital plane which was uniquely selected for a given orbital radius to maximize the number of occultations. The results of this study show that a lower orbital radius is desired as this produces the best combination of measurement number and distribution. This orbital plane should be closely aligned with the Milky Way galactic plane to see the most stars occult. For the lowest sustainable orbital altitude, Low Titan Orbit (LTO) at 1200 km, the orbital plane should be nearly polar to maximize the number of occultations and latitude coverage. The optimal orbit selection for a single satellite can produce nearly 400 stellar occultation opportunities per orbit and provide full latitude versus longitude coverage. A single satellite shows gaps in latitude versus local solar time coverage at mid-latitudes normal to the satellite ground track which may inhibit the diagnosis of atmospheric waves tied to Titan's night and day cycle. If necessary, a second satellite in an orbit orthogonal to the first is suggested to close coverage gaps to provide full local time coverage over a Titan day. The optimal orbit selection of this second satellite provides an additional 343 occultation opportunities per orbit and increases latitude versus local solar time coverage by a factor of 1.5. The understanding of Titan's Earth-like atmosphere could provide insight into climate evolution here on Earth. This concept proposes a novel approach to improving this understanding.

Recently there is an increase in interest in the Moon as a destination for space missions. This increased interest is in the composition and geography of the Moon as well as using the Moon to travel beyond the Earth to other planets in the solar system. This thesis explores the mechanics behind a lunar mission and the costs and benefits of different approaches. To constrain this problem, the launch criteria are those of Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), which has expressed interest in launching small spacecraft to the Moon for exploration and study of the lunar surface. The flight from the Earth to the Moon and subsequent lunar orbits, referred to hereafter as the mission, is broken up into three different phases: first the launch and parking orbit around the Earth, second the transfer orbit, and finally the lunar capture and orbit. A launch from WFF constrains the direction of the launch and the possible initial parking orbits. Recently WFF has been offered the use of a Taurus XL launch vehicle whose specifications will be used for all other limitations of the launch and initial parking orbit. The orbit investigated in this part of the mission is a simple circular orbit with limited disturbances. These disturbances are only a major factor for long duration orbits and don't affect the parking orbit significantly. The transfer orbit from the Earth to the Moon is the most complex and interesting part of the mission. To fully describe the dynamics of the Earth-Moon system a three-body model is used. The model is a restricted three-body problem keeping the Earth and Moon orbiting circularly around the system barycenter. This model allows the spacecraft to experience the influence of the Earth and Moon during the entire transfer orbit, making the simulation more closely related to what will actually happen rather than what a patched conic solution would give. This trajectory is examined using Newtonian, Lagrangian, and Hamiltonian mechanics along with using a rotating and non-rotating frame of reference for the equations of motion. The objective of the transfer orbit is to reduce the time and fuel cost of the mission as well as allow for various insertion angles to the Moon. The final phase of the mission is the lunar orbit and the analysis also uses a simple two body model similar to the parking orbit. The analysis investigates how the orbits around the Moon evolve and decay and explores more than just circular orbits, but orbits with different eccentricities. The non-uniform lunar gravity field is investigated to accurately model the lunar orbit. These factors give a proper simulation of what happens to the craft for the duration of the lunar orbit. Tracking the changes in the orbit gives a description of where it will be and how much of the lunar surface it can observe without any active changes to the orbit. The analysis allows for either pursuing a long duration sustained orbit or a more interesting orbit that covers more of the lunar surface. These three phases are numerically simulated using MATLAB, which is a focus of this thesis. In all parts of the mission the simulations are refined and optimized to reduce the time of the simulation. Also this refinement gives a more accurate portrayal of what would really happen in orbit. This reduction in time is necessary to allow for many different orbits and scenarios to be investigated without using an unreasonable amount of time. / Master of Science

Earth science observations are crucial for our understanding of the Earth’s climate, water cycle, land, and atmosphere. Signals of Opportunity (SoOp) has recently emerged as an innovative method for producing these observations. SoOp reuses existing satellite communication signals for science measurements. A key factor in the accuracy of SoOp measurements, is the accuracy with which the transmitting satellite’s position can be determined. This thesis developed a distributed network of receivers, which performed time delay of arrival (TDOA) measurements, to solve for the position of a transmitting satellite, using their existing signals. These results were used to characterize the sensitivity of the calculated satellite position, to the TDOA measurement error.

No description available.

This thesis describes the approach to designing a Low Earth Orbit CubeSat constellation capable of nearly constant coverage. The software package Satellite Tool Kit is used to create simulated multi-satellite systems that maintain a communication link between Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales and tactically chosen locations in the United States of America. The research will attempt to find the constellation capable of maintaining a set of design parameters (such as signal to noise ratio and altitude), with the minimum possible number of CubeSats. The downlink location, antenna design and the orbital planes are the negotiable parameters in the system, with little to no set constraints, and thus will be altered until the most favorable system is successfully designed.