Solar sails for perturbation relief: Application to asteroids

A major cause of spacecraft orbital variation comes from natural perturbations, which, in close proximity of a body, are dominated by its non-spherical nature. For small bodies, such as asteroids, these effects can be considerable, given their uneven (and uncertain) mass distribution. Solar sail technology is proposed to reduce or eliminate the net secular effects of the irregular gravity field on the orbit. Initially, a sensitivity analysis will be carried out on the system which will show high sensitivity to changes in initial conditions. This presents a challenge for optimisation methods which require an initial guess of the solution. As such, the Genetic Algorithm (GA) is proposed as the preferred optimisation method as this requires no initial guess from the user. A multi-objective optimisation is performed which aims to achieve a periodic orbit whilst also minimising the effort required by the sail to do so. Given the system sensitivity, the control law for one orbit is not necessarily applicable for any subsequent orbit. Therefore, a new method of updating the control law for subsequent orbits is presented, based on linearisation and use of a Control Transition Matrix (CTM). The techniques will later find application in a multiple asteroid rendezvous mission with a solar sail as the primary propulsion system.     

航天器交会中的Lambert问题

应用Lagrange转移时间方程研究空间交会中的Lambert问题,包括经典Lambert问题(飞行弧段不足一圈的椭圆型轨道转移)与多圈Lambert问题(飞行圈数超过一圈的轨道转移),阐述转移轨道的几何特性与转移轨道类型,分析转移时间与转移轨道参数及变轨速度增量之间的关系。对航天器交会中常用的圆轨道之间的双冲量转移,给定转移角与转移时间,阐述最小变轨速度增量所对应的转移圈数与轨道参数的求解方法,提出满足最小变轨速度增量要求的轨道转移的图解法。对给定的初始分离角与交会时间,按最小变轨速度增量要求,确定航天器交会的初始漂移时间、双冲量轨道转移时间与终端停泊时间。     

Rapid design and optimization of low-thrust rendezvous/interception trajectory for asteroid deflection missions

Asteroid deflection techniques are essential in order to protect the Earth from catastrophic impacts by hazardous asteroids. Rapid design and optimization of low-thrust rendezvous/interception trajectories is considered as one of the key technologies to successfully deflect potentially hazardous asteroids. In this paper, we address a general framework for the rapid design and optimization of low-thrust rendezvous/interception trajectories for future asteroid deflection missions. The design and optimization process includes three closely associated steps. Firstly, shape-based approaches and genetic algorithm (GA) are adopted to perform preliminary design, which provides a reasonable initial guess for subsequent accurate optimization. Secondly, Radau pseudospectral method is utilized to transcribe the low-thrust trajectory optimization problem into a discrete nonlinear programming (NLP) problem. Finally, sequential quadratic programming (SQP) is used to efficiently solve the nonlinear programming problem and obtain the optimal low-thrust rendezvous/interception trajectories. The rapid design and optimization algorithms developed in this paper are validated by three simulation cases with different performance indexes and boundary constraints.     

Optimal two-impulse rendezvous with terminal tangent burn considering the trajectory constraints

The two-impulse orbital rendezvous problem with a terminal tangent burn between coplanar elliptical orbits is studied by considering a lower bound on perigee radius and an upper bound on apogee radius for the transfer orbit. This problem requires that two spacecraft arrive at the rendezvous point with the same arrival flight-path angle after the same flight time. The admissible range of the final true anomaly that meets the perigee and apogee constraints is obtained in closed form. The revolution number of the transfer orbit is expressed as a function of the true anomaly and the revolution numbers of the initial and final orbits. All the feasible solutions are obtained with a bound on the revolution number of the final orbit. Then, the minimum-fuel one is determined by comparing their costs. Finally, two numerical examples are provided to obtain all the feasible solutions for given initial impulse points and the optimal solution with the initial coasting arc. Numerical results show that the minimum-fuel solution for the terminal tangent burn rendezvous is close to that for the cotangent rendezvous when the rendezvous time is long enough; however, the cotangent rendezvous may not exist when the rendezvous time is short.     

航天器双主动交会策略研究

从理论上分析了共面近地圆轨道上的航天器的远程双主动交会的问题.根据轨道动力学基本原理,导出各种情况下特征速度的解析解,为航天器变轨时的燃料消耗分析提供了依据.进一步探讨了航天器轨道转移过程中的时间策略,以保证在不同轨道上运行的航天器在同一时刻、同一空间位置交会.上述理论分析的仿真计算结果表明,双主动交会总特征速度和过程耗时都低于主被动交会情形,单星的燃料消耗大大降低,对大范围快速变轨,优势更加明显.     

Two-level optimization approach for Mars orbital long-duration,large non-coplanar rendezvous phasing maneuvers

A relative dynamics equation-set based on orbital element differences with J₂ effects is derived, based on which a two-level approach is proposed to optimize the Mars orbital rendezvous phasing with a large difference in the initial ascending node. The up-level problem uses the revolution deviation between the target spacecraft and the chaser as the design variable, and employs a linear search to find the optimum. The low-level problem uses the maneuver revolutions, locations, and impulses as the design variables, and is solved using a hybrid genetic algorithm combined with sequential quadratic programming. To improve the solution accuracy, an iteration method is developed to satisfy the terminal constraints of the absolute numerical integration trajectory. Test cases involving Mars sample return missions with large initial node differences are presented, which show that the relative dynamics, two-level optimization model, and hybrid optimization algorithm are efficient and robust. Compared with previously published results, the total velocity increment has been further reduced by utilizing this proposed approach. It is found that a five-impulse plan requires the least quantity of propellant, and a propellant-optimal minimum rendezvous duration exists for this long-duration, large non-coplanar rendezvous problem.     

探空火箭定时定点入轨的一种制导控制规律

针对特定探测天体,给出了特殊用途的探空火箭与其实现空间交会的时刻与地点的计算方法.根据特定天体的运行轨道,发射前算出标称交会飞行轨道,装订在箭载计算机内.火箭发射后,利用箭载惯性导航系统确定自身当前的位置与速度,比对标称飞行轨道参数得出飞行偏差,通过控制火箭推力偏斜调整飞行轨道,使探空火箭在交会时刻到达交会点,并在交会时刻相对与惯性空间的速度为0.定义了研究所用的各种坐标系,建立了火箭飞行动力学方程.研究了标称飞行轨道最优交会点选取,交会时间与发射时间计算等问题.给出了发射后动力飞行段的制导控制规律,核心思想是将控制信号分解为时间控制、当地水平面上的海拔高度控制、南北控制与东西控制,通过设置偏置量减小关机后轨道摄动因素引起的漂移.利用计算机数值仿真验证了这种制导控制规律的可行性.     

目标飞行器交会对接轨道的设计和控制

根据目标飞行器轨道高度和追踪飞行器入轨轨道高度,给出了目标飞行器交会对接轨道初始相位的设计方法。针对目标飞行器交会对接轨道控制要求,建立了共面相位计算模型以及轨道相位、高度和圆化度的多目标参数求解模型。基于定轨误差、轨道控制误差和轨道预报误差的调相时间分析,制定了目标飞行器调相控制策略。仿真计算表明,实现的目标飞行器交会对接轨道满足要求,验证了调相控制量优化原则的正确性,并对标称共面与虚拟共面的共面时刻和共面相位进行了比较。所提出的计算模型、控制策略和分析方法适用于目标飞行器交会对接轨道设计和控制实施。     

飞向晕轨道的探测器轨道优化

晕轨道的稳定流形为从地球到晕轨道的转移轨道设计提供了便利．以往都采用在晕轨道上的目标点施加脉冲,这样,稳定流形只是为转移轨道的设计提供一个初始猜想,探测器并没有运行在稳定流形上,因而并未真正利用稳定流形节省燃料的优势．利用基于序优化理论的微分修正法,研究从晕轨道近地点稳定流形上不同点进入稳定流形所需要的燃料消耗,寻找燃耗最少的转移轨道．仿真表明,对于晕轨道近地点入轨,找到的稳定流形射入点机动比以往的晕轨道入轨点机动节省约33％的燃料消耗．此外,还对晕轨道上不同入轨点的入轨代价进行了研究,得到了晕轨道近地点入轨的最小燃耗解．     

Optimal solar sail trajectory approximation with finite Fourier series

The heliocentric transfer of a solar sail-based spacecraft is usually studied from an optimal perspective, by looking for the control law that minimizes the total flight time. The optimal control problem can be solved either with an indirect approach, whose solution is difficult to obtain due to its sensitivity to an initial guess of the costates, or with a direct method, which requires a good estimate of a feasible (guess) trajectory. This work presents a procedure to generate an approximate optimal trajectory through a finite Fourier series. The minimum time problem is solved using a nonlinear programming solver, in which the optimization parameters are the coefficients of the Fourier series and the positions of the spacecraft along the initial and target orbits. Suitable constraints are enforced on the direction and magnitude of the sail propulsive acceleration vector in order to obtain feasible solutions. A comparison with the numerical results from an indirect approach shows that the proposed method provides a good approximation of the optimal trajectory with a small computational effort.     

广义多圈Lambert算法求解多脉冲最优交会问题

基于一种高效高精度的Battin多圈Lambert算法提出一种考虑轨道摄动的广义多圈Lambert算法.与现有算法相比,本算法虽然原理复杂但计算流程非常简单,效率极高,分别通过几次内外循环就可满足精度要求.广义多圈Lambert算法结合一种可行解迭代交会模型构成了一个通用的多圈多脉冲交会规划框架,应用两步法求解此多变量的复杂工程优化问题,首先利用高效率的进化全局优化算法以及解析轨道模型作全局搜索,然后利用序列二次规划算法以及简化高精度轨道计算模型作局部搜索,此方法可以保证高效高精度的求解多圈多脉冲交会问题.算例表明此方法特别适用于满足实际工程约束的交会规划问题.     

非合作机动目标交会的相对位置控制

研究目标航天器存在机动的情况下追踪航天器与目标航天器的交会问题.只利用两航天器之间的相对位置测量信息,考虑目标机动、外部干扰以及状态耦合,提出一种改进的特征压缩方式并建立相应的解耦特征模型,基于该特征模型设计解耦的自适应控制方法实现追踪航天器与机动目标航天器的交会.仿真结果验证了算法的有效性,并表明其优于传统的PD控制方法.     

能量最优与燃料最优Lambert交会问题

Lambert双脉冲交会问题是航天工程中轨道转移和在轨交会等领域的重要问题,而能量最优和燃料最优Lambert交会问题是针对典型应用背景和工程需求衍生的一类Lambert优化问题。针对能量最优与燃料最优Lambert双脉冲交会问题提出一种基于矢量形式的解析计算方法,给出能量最优和燃料最优Lambert交会问题的矢量形式解析解,同时对2种最优交会问题求解的性质与特点进行了分析对比。仿真结果验证了计算的正确性及燃料最优轨道相比能量最优轨道燃料消耗较少的事实。      

一类最省燃料优先的多圈飞行脉冲交会

通过分析采用多圈飞行Lambert解的双脉冲交会的特征速度与转移轨道半长轴的关系,指出其最优解实际上是2N+1条满足时间约束的转移轨道中燃料较省的,而非最省燃料轨道.提出将双脉冲交会的首次脉冲矢量分解成方向相同的两次脉冲,使得追踪器在特定的滑行轨道飞行N圈以消耗多余的转移时间,利用剩余的转移时间沿最省燃料轨道与目标交会.几何上证明了这种交会的特征速度与最省燃料转移相同,并且给出了解的存在性条件.通过仿真验证了这种交会比采用多圈飞行Lambert解的双脉冲交会更省燃料,解的存在性对转移时间的长度要求更低.     

交会对接光学成像敏感器中合作目标的分析与设计

交会对接技术是实现太空梭、太空平台和空间运输系统的装配、回收、补给、维修、太空人交换及营救等在轨服务的先决条件，交会对接光学成像敏感器是两航天器交会对接近距离平移靠拢段唯一能够提供六自由度相对导航信息的敏感器，由安装于追踪飞行器上的相机和安装于目标飞行器上的合作目标组成，采用角反射器作为合作目标标志，完成两飞行器间的相对位姿的解算.对其需求分析、设计方案、回光能量测试等进行了讨论，该方案已在神舟十一号载人飞船、天舟一号货运飞船与天宫二号的交会对接任务中成功验证，后续针对空间站及光学舱任务进行适应性修改.     

基于引导型人工免疫算法的最优Lambert变轨

主要研究了燃料最省的Lambert双脉冲变轨问题.首先对普适变量法进行改进以避免奇异,并将其用于Lambert双脉冲变轨问题的求解.然后针对只给定初始时刻追踪航天器和目标航天器的轨道要素及总时间约束的交会问题,引入调相时间的概念,并将其和转移时间作为Lambert变轨的优化变量.最后采用引导型人工免疫算法GAIA(Guiding Artificial Im-mune Algorithm)对该优化问题进行寻优.仿真算例表明,与自适应遗传算法AGA(Adaptive Ge-netic Algorithm)相比,GAIA具有更强的寻优能力和更快的寻优速度,从而验证了GAIA用于最优Lambert变轨的有效性.     

Constant thrust fuel-optimal control for spacecraft rendezvous

In this paper, constant thrust rendezvous is studied and the optimal rendezvous time is calculated by using continuous genetic algorithm. Firstly, the relative position parameters of the target spacecraft are obtained by using the vision measurement and the target maneuver positions are calculated through the isochronous interpolation method. Then, the results of the calculation of constant thrust rendezvous is founded by processing with multivariate linear regression method. Next, a new switching control law is designed based on the thrust acceleration sequence and the on time of thrusters which can be computed by the time series analysis method. The perturbations and fuel consumptions are addressed during the computation of the on time of thrusters.     

最优冲量交会的研究进展

 对最优冲量交会的研究进展进行综述,介绍最优冲量交会中四类比较典型的研究成果：基于冲量校正理论的最优冲量交会、Lambert最优冲量交会、利用数值方法求解的最优冲量交会和基于邻近圆轨道交会理论的最优冲量交会,并分析这些类型的最优交会的特点。     

Earth–Moon low energy trajectory optimization in the real system

The problem of the Earth–Moon low energy trajectory optimization in the real system (the model defined by the JPL ephemeris DE405) is considered in this paper. First, this problem is investigated in the model of circular restricted three-body problem, since the fuel consumption is closely related to the Jacobi integral of the transfer trajectory, a method based on Jacobi integral is proposed and eight optimal trajectories are obtained. These optimal trajectories provide initial information (the flight time and the braking velocity impulse) to search the optimal low energy trajectories in the real system through optimization techniques. Considering the merit and drawback of particle swarm optimization and differential evolution algorithm in solving the space trajectory problem, an improved cooperative evolutionary algorithm is put forward. Result shows that the low energy trajectories in the real system are more fuel-efficient than the corresponding ones under the circular restricted three-body problem.     

交会对接自由漂移轨迹安全性判断研究

针对长方形禁飞区下,近距离交会对接过程提出任意初始状态下轨迹安全的判断方法.先分析CW方程描述下相对运动轨迹的性质,通过分析轨迹与禁飞区最可能相交的特征点的分析和轨迹越过禁飞区相交问题的判断,判断轨迹是否安全.仿真结果表明所提出的安全判断方法能准确给出轨迹是否安全的结论,且算法简单、计算量小.