Profiles of quick access to the orbital station for modern spacecraft

The problems of decreasing the duration of the autonomous flight of a spacecraft (SC) before the docking with an orbital station (OS) are considered in this paper. Modern SCs should be docked with the International Space Station (ISS) with an arbitrary initial phase angle; for this reason, the rendezvous of the Russian Soyuz-TMA spacecraft with the ISS is performed for 2 days. The paper presents to consideration some new flight profiles with essentially smaller duration. The results of modeling the developed rendezvous profiles are presented and solutions to emergency situations are considered.     

The Use of a Solar Electrojet Propulsion System for Jupiter Satellite Injection

The problem of optimization of the interplanetary trajectory of flight for a multistage spacecraft with high- and low-thrust engines into the Jupiter satellite orbit is considered. Low-thrust engines (stationary plasma engines) are used on a heliocentric flight segment. Their operation is maintained with electric power supply from solar batteries. The principal feasibility of the realization of such a project is shown, and estimations of the mass of a spacecraft placed into Jupiter's satellite orbit are presented.     

Short profile for the human spacecraft Soyuz-TMA rendezvous mission to the ISS

Reduction of flight duration after insertion till docking to the ISS is considered. In the beginning of the human flight era both the USSR and the USA used short mission profiles due to limited life support resources. A rendezvous during these missions was usually achieved in 1–5 revolutions. The short-term rendezvous were made possible by the coordinated launch profiles of both rendezvousing spacecraft, which provided specific relative position of the spacecraft or phase angle conditions. After the beginning of regular flights to the orbital stations these requirements became difficult to fulfill. That is why it was decided to transfer to 1- or 2-day rendezvous profile. The long stay of a crew in a limited habitation volume of the Soyuz-TMA spacecraft before docking to the ISS is one of the most strained parts of the flight and naturally cosmonauts wish to dock to the ISS as soon as possible. As a result of previous studies the short four-burn rendezvous mission profile with docking in a few orbits was developed. It is shown that the current capabilities of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle and the Soyuz-TMA spacecraft are sufficient to provide for that. The first test of the short rendezvous mission during Progress cargo vehicle flight to the ISS is planned for 2012. Possible contingencies pertinent to this profile are described. In particular, in the majority of the emergency cases there is a possibility of an urgent transfer to the present 2-day rendezvous profile. Thus, the short mission will be very flexible and will not influence the ISS mission plan. Fuel consumption for the nominal and emergency cases is defined by statistical simulation of the rendezvous mission. The qualitative analysis of the short-term and current 2-day rendezvous missions is performed.     

航天器公用空间搭载试验平台设计

我国航天器搭载试验包括空间材料实验、航天医学实验和航天新技术验证试验,具有数据量大、需要实时传输、工作模式多样等特点。文章根据试验项目的需求,设计了应用于低轨道航天器的支持各类空间搭载试验项目的公用试验平台。地面测试验证和在轨运行情况表明,该平台在不影响飞行器平台安全的同时,满足了对试验项目的工作控制、遥测监视及试验数据传输管理的任务要求。     

One optimization problem for trajectories of spacecraft rendezvous mission to a group of asteroids

The optimization problem is considered for the trajectory of a spacecraft mission to a group of asteroids. The ratio of the final spacecraft mass to the flight time is maximized. The spacecraft is controlled by changing the value and direction of the jet engine thrust (small thrust). The motion of the Earth, asteroids, and the spacecraft proceeds in the central Newtonian gravitational field of the Sun. The Earth and asteroids are considered as point objects moving in preset elliptical orbits. The spacecraft departure from the Earth is considered in the context of the method of a point-like sphere of action, and the excess of hyperbolic velocity is limited. It is required sequentially to have a rendezvous with asteroids from four various groups, one from each group; it is necessary to be on the first three asteroids for no less than 90 days. The trajectory is finished by arrival at the last asteroid. Constraints on the time of departure from the Earth, flight duration, and final mass are taken into account in this problem.     

Guidance of a spacecraft with low lift-to-drag ratio to a landing point

The problem of terminal control over a deorbiting spacecraft at the stage of its flight after leaving plasma (altitude of ∼40 km) is considered, the aim being to guide it to a preset landing point. The algorithm is based on a modification of the well-known method of proportional navigation, when a fixed point is the target. It is suggested to use satellite navigation systems (of the GLONASS or GPS types) and/or radio beacons, which should allow one to determine the spacecraft trajectory parameters with high precision. Single-channel control is performed by changing the roll angle according to current parameters of the trajectory, which ensures adaptability of the method. Examples of three-dimensional trajectories of flight are presented for a manned spacecraft with low lift-to-drag ratio (∼0.5), currently under design in Russia. The results of statistical modeling taking into account initial deviations of the trajectory parameters and wind disturbances are presented. A method of statistical choice of a reference trajectory for the guidance stage is suggested. A theoretical possibility of using the algorithm of spacecraft guidance (in case of in-light accident with a carrier launcher) to preset regions in the vicinity of launching route is demonstrated. A qualitative analysis of proportional navigation with a fixed target is presented.     

组合体与飞船联合轨道维持

通过组合体与飞船联合轨道维持解决了组合体和飞船轨道多特征参数的控制问题。建立了升交点经度、轨道高度和偏心率的控制方程以及基于时间关联特性的升交点赤经和制动点高度耦合控制方程和偏心率保持的双冲量耦合控制方程。结合组合体与飞船的飞行特点,制定了组合体轨道维持实现升交点赤经和轨道偏心率以及飞船轨道维持实现制动点高度的联合控制策略。耦合控制方程使得组合体和飞船轨道维持的控制量分配合理,融合了各次控制之间存在的耦合影响,设计了联合轨道维持策略迭代计算流程。基于神舟九号交会对接飞行过程,通过多组仿真算例校验了组合体与飞船轨道多特征参数的联合优化控制,具有较好的工程应用价值。     

GPS在航天器编队飞行任务中的基础性作用

GPS正在改变航天器的测控格局 ,拓宽卫星和星座控制技术 ,从而构成空间编队飞行定时、测量和控制的技术基础。国内外已开发出对航天器编队飞行任务进行精确定位和导航的GPS方案。GPS将充当一大类多航天器编队飞行任务的导航系统。在当前开发的空间编队飞行技术中 ,编队航天器的测量和控制、星间链路通信、任务综合与验证、编队飞行试验台、分散式控制、高轨道航天器的相对导航等 ,无一不与GPS息息相关     

On solving the problems of optimization of trajectories of many-revolution orbit transfers of spacecraft

The problem of optimal control over many-revolution spacecraft orbit transfers between circular coplanar orbits of satellites is considered. The spacecraft flight is controlled by a thrust vector of a jet engine with restricted thrust (JERT). The mass expenditure is minimized at a limited time of flight. The optimal control problem is solved based on the maximum principle. The boundary value problem of the maximum principle is solved numerically using the shooting method. A modified computation scheme of the shooting method is suggested (multi-point shooting), as well as a method (correlated with the scheme) of choosing the initial approximation with the use of a solution to the optimization problem in the impulse formulation. The scheme and method allow one to construct many-revolution spacecraft orbit transfers.     

Effect of geomagnetic field disturbances on the adaptive stress reaction of cosmonauts

Investigations of the effect of geomagnetic activity factors on the cardiac rhythm regulation and arterial pressure of cosmonauts during the expeditions onboard the Soyuz spacecraft, and the MIR and ISS orbital space stations was carried out for various durations of flight in weightlessness and, under control. Groups of cosmonauts were inspected under flight conditions outside the geomagnetic disturbances and in ground preflight conditions, during disturbances without them. The presence of specific effect of geomagnetic disturbances on the system of vegetative regulation of blood circulation of cosmonauts during the flight was demonstrated for the first time. The response of cosmonauts’ cardiac rhythm on the magnetic storm is definitely revealed; however, it depends on the initial functional background and, in particular, on the state of mechanisms of vegetative regulation (the duration of flight and adaptation to it).     

人-船-服热真空联合试验技术

人-船-服热真空联合试验对于保证航天员的安全和飞行任务的成功非常重要.航天员可通过试验熟悉空间环境、增强心理承受力,通过试验还可暴露出载人飞船在设计、研制和制造过程中的缺陷.而试验的成功则与完善的地面试验设施、正确的试验技术、详细的试验大纲、合理的技术规范和试验程序密切相关.文章主要介绍了在KM6大型空间环境模拟设备中进行的人-船-服热真空联合试验,包括3个试验方案、潜在的安全问题的分析及相关对策、安全系统的介绍,详细介绍了设备的主要技术规范和10个主要的分系统:真空容器、液氮分系统、气氮分系统、复压分系统、环境控制分系统、热流模拟分系统、通讯控制分系统和消防分系统等.     

The results of flight tests of an attitude control system for the Chibis-M microsatellite

The attitude control system of the Chibis-M microsatellite is described. Results of flight experiments on damping the initial angular velocity (made using magnetorquers) are considered, as well as stabilization in the orbital referece frame, and orientation of solar arrays toward the Sun using reaction wheels. The operation of algorithms of satellite attitude determination on sunlit and shadow segments of the orbit is also under study. The general logic of operation of the attitude control system in automatic mode is presented and discussed.     

Cassini Saturn-escape trajectories to Jupiter,Uranus, and Neptune

Potential encore-mission scenarios have been considered for the Cassini mission. In this paper we discuss one of the end-of-life scenarios in which the Cassini spacecraft could perform a Saturn escape via gravity assists from Titan. It is shown that such satellite-aided escape requires a small deterministic maneuver (e.g., Δv<50 m/s), but provides enough energy for the Cassini spacecraft to reach a range of targets in our Solar System, as close to the Sun as the asteroid belt or as far as the Kuiper belt. The escape sequence could be initiated from an arbitrary point during the on-going Cassini mission. Example tours are presented in which the final Titan flyby places the spacecraft into ballistic trajectories that reach Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune. After years of heliocentric flight, the spacecraft could impact on the target gas giant or perform a flyby to escape from the Solar System (if not to another destination). The concept can be generalized to a new kind of missions, including nested-grand tours, which may involve satellite-aided captures and escapes at more than one planet.     

About one problem of trajectory optimization

The optimization problem for trajectories of spacecraft flight from the Earth to an asteroid is considered in this paper. The flight is realized in the central Newtonian gravitational field of the Sun with a possibility of gravitational maneuvers near planets. Perturbation maneuvers are taken into account using the method of point area of action with a limitation on the flyby altitude. The spacecraft is controlled by changing the value and direction of the engine thrust. The problem is solved taking into account constraints on the launch time, flight duration, and minimum distance to the Sun.     

The use of the Earth’s gravitational potential for interplanetary flights

An efficient scheme of the use of the Earth’s gravity in interplanetary flights is suggested, which opens up new opportunities for exploration of the solar system. The scheme of the gravitational maneuver allows one to considerably reduce the spacecraft mass consumption for a flight and the time of flight. An algorithm of the gravitational maneuver is suggested that takes into account the restriction on the altitude of a planet flyby. Estimates are made of transport capabilities for delivery of a spacecraft to the orbits of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. The spacecraft is based on a middle-class carrier launcher of the Soyuz type and includes chemical and electric plasma jet engines of the SPD-140 type, which use solar energy.     

Usage of pre-flight data in short rendezvous mission of Soyuz-TMA spacecrafts

The paper describes the reduction of the vehicle autonomous flight duration before docking to the ISS. The Russian Soyuz-TMA spacecraft dock to the ISS two days after launch. Due to the limited volume inside Soyuz-TMA the reduction of time until docking to the ISS is very important, since the long stay of the cosmonauts in the limited volume adds to the strain of the space flight. In the previous papers of the authors it was shown that the existing capabilities of Soyuz-TMA, the ISS and the ground control loop make it possible to transfer to the five-orbit rendezvous profile. However, the analysis of the cosmonauts' schedule on the launch day shows that its duration is at the allowable limit and that is why it is necessary to find a way to further reduce the flight duration of Soyuz-TMA before docking to less than five orbits. In a traditional rendezvous profile, the calculation of rendezvous burns begins only after determination of the actual vehicle insertion orbit. The paper describes an approach in which the first two rendezvous burns are performed as soon as the spacecraft reaches the reference orbit and the values of the burns are calculated prior to the launch based on the pre-flight data for the nominal insertion. This approach decreases the duration of the rendezvous by one orbit. The demonstration flight of a Progress vehicle using the proposed profile was implemented on August 1, 2012 and completely confirmed the correctness of the imbedded principles. The paper considers the possible improvements of the proposed approach and recovery from the contingencies.     

Optimization of Flights between the Orbits of Artificial Satellites of Two Planets Using a Combination of High and Low Thrusts

The problem of optimization of the trajectory of an interplanetary flight of a multistaged spacecraft using jet engines with high and low thrust is considered. The issues concerning the problem of choosing the main design parameters of a multistage spacecraft are touched upon. A mathematical model of start-to-finish optimization of all segments of the interplanetary flight trajectory is proposed. Using this model the specific features of flights to the orbits of satellites of Jupiter and Mars are studied.     

Ballistics, navigation, and motion control for a spacecraft during its landing on the surface of Phobos

Basic concepts and algorithms laid as foundations of the scheme of landing on the Martian moon Phobos (developed for the Phobos-Grunt project) are presented. The conditions ensuring the landing are discussed. Algorithms of onboard navigation and control are described. The equations of spacecraft motion with respect to Phobos are considered, as well as their use for correction of the spacecraft motion. The algorithm of estimation of the spacecraft’s state vector using measurements with a laser altimeter and Doppler meter of velocity and distance is presented. A system for modeling the landing with a firmware complex including a prototype of the onboard computer is described.     

Estimation of dynamic characteristics of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">International Space Station</Emphasis> from measurements of microaccelerations

We describe the results of determining the mass of the International Space Station using the data of MAMS accelerometer taken during correction of the station orbit on August 20, 2004. The correction was made by approach and attitude control engines (ACE) of the Progress transporting spacecraft. The engines were preliminary calibrated in an autonomous flight using the onboard device for measuring apparent velocity increment. The method of calibration is described and its results are presented. The error in station mass determination is about 1%. The same data of MAMS and similar data obtained during the orbit correction on August 26, 2004 were used for the analysis of high-frequency vibrations of the station mainframe caused by operation of the ACE of Progress. Natural frequencies of the ACE are determined. They lie in the frequency band 0.024–0.11 Hz. ACE operation is demonstrated to result in a substantial increase of microaccelerations onboard the station in the frequency range 0–1 Hz. The frequencies are indicated at which disturbances increase by more than an order of magnitude. The study described was carried out as a part of the Tensor technological experiment.     

基于气动辅助变轨的变气动外形飞行器概念研究--最优控制律问题

从一个天地往返飞行器的上升轨道和再入返回轨道的优化，以及适用不同飞行任务的变轨要求的气动外形问题，提出一项基于气动力辅助变轨的变气动外形飞行器的新概念研究。对于一个固定气动外形飞行器要同时满足上升轨道有效载荷最大和再入轨道热流峰值、过载峰值及机动性能约束下的成本最低往往是困难的。若同时满足不同飞行任务：飞往太空站的运输任务，空间拦截和交会机动巡航任务及星际探测任务，则更为困难，实际上是不可能的。文章研究基于气动力辅助变轨，在热流约束下，气动外形参数变化对最优控制的影响。其结论为：热流约束下的最优控制解，包括考虑推力协同变轨，除了在非约束弧的滚转角不直接受气动外形影响外，其余的控制律，升力系数和滚转角都是气动外形参数和攻角的函数。因而变气动外形可作为一项新技术，即通过气动外形参数变化和相应的变轨策略而获得性能和成本都最佳的用途很广的一种新型飞行器。