Methodology for the study of LEA separation phase

This paper provides an overview of the simulation t ool that has been created to simulate the entire mission of the LEA flight experiment. In particular, this tool models the separation sequence with thirteen degrees-of-freedo m. This simulation models the multibody dynamics of the LEA vehicle and the booster. The effect of the pusher which is a specific beam used to push the vehicles apart is in cluded. A great effort has been made to model the physical phenomena that can occur during the dynamic separation and the autonomous flight of the different vehicles. The ai m of this tool is to provide a fast and detailed simulation of the mission to enable trade studies and Monte-Carlo analysis in order to assess the impact of the design choices on the L EA vehicle and to define the logic sequence of separation to enhance the probability of mission success. This tool is at the core of the methodology for studying the LEA separation phase and to achieve the goals of the experiment.