Einladung zum Vortrag im Kolloquium Technische Kybernetik

The LISA Technology experiment and test mass charge control

Prof. Walter Fichter
Institute of Flight Mechanics and Control
Universität Stuttgart

    Zeit: Dienstag · 5. 6. 2007 · 16:00 Uhr
    Ort: IST-Seminarraum 3.241 · Pfaffenwaldring 9 · Campus Stuttgart-Vaihingen

Abstract

LISA Pathfinder is an ESA technology satellite scheduled for launch in 2009. It carries the LISA Technology Package (LTP) experiment that is used for the verification of gravitational free-fall between two test masses down to a level of 3 · 10^ −14 m/s^2 /√Hz in a measurement bandwidth between 1 mHz and 30 mHz. The drag-free, attitude, and suspension control system (DFACS) and the charge control system are key elements for the test runs to be performed with the LISA Technology Package, because they provide the operational basis for science measurements. In this talk an overview of the LISA Technology experiment is given first, together with major requirements, the spacecraft architecture and design, and the role of the control systems. In the second part the control systems are presented in some more detail, in particular it is explained which non-gravitational contributions are caused by control. Then emphasis is put on test mass charge control, which currently is still under development.

Biographical Information

Walter Fichter became director of the Institute of Flight Mechanics and Control at the University of Stuttgart only two months ago. After graduation in Mechanical Engineering in 1989, he spent 17 years in industry, mainly at the EADS Astrium sites in Munich and Immenstaad, and two stays abroad, with Mitsubishi Electric in Japan and Stanford University in the USA. In the first years of his professional life he was involved in the development of four types of control systems that were or still are operational in orbit. Moreover, he led several pre-developments, such as spacecraft autonomy for Earth orbiting satellites and spaceborne GPS receivers. Since 2001 he has mainly been involved in precision control systems for science spacecraft and instruments. He was Principal Engineer for Spacecraft Dynamics and Control and from 2003 he has been project manager of the Drag-Free Control System of LISA Pathfinder.