A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPACE DOUBLE STAR PROGRAM

The Geospace Double Star Exploration Project (DSP) contains two small satel lites operating in the near-earth equatorial and polar regions respectively. The tasks of DSP are: (1) to provide high-resolution field, particle and wave mea surements in several important near-earth active regions which have not been covered by existing ISTP missions, such as the near-earth plasma sheet and its boundary layer, the ring current, the radiation belts, the dayside magnetopause boundary layer, and the polar region; (2) to investigate he trigger mechanisms of magnetic storms, magnetospheric substorms, and magnetospheric particle storms, as well as the responses of geospace storms to solar activities and in terplanetary disturbances; (3) to set up the models describing the spatial and temporal variations of the near-earth space environment.To complete the mission, there are eight instruments on board the equatorial satellite and the polar satellite, respectively. The orbit of the equatorial satellite is proposed with a perigee at 550km and an apogee at 60 000km, and the inclination is about 28.5°; while the orbit of the polar satellite with a perigee at 700 km and an apogee at 40 000 km, as well as an inclination about 90°. The equatorial and polar satellites are planed to be launched into orbits in June 2003 and December 2003 respectively to take coordinating measurements with Cluster Ⅱ and other missions.     

利用近地点磁场探测数据确定卫星自旋轴参数

阐述了利用近地点磁场探测数据确定卫星自旋轴参数的理论方法和实施步骤,并说明了这种研究对卫星运行和科学探测的重要性.特别强调了需要注意的基本条件,即卫星必须自旋稳定且近地点不很高(1000 km以下).这种方法关键的步骤是,根据卫星轨道数据定出模型磁场数值,比较近地点星载磁强计探测数据和近地点地磁模型数值确定卫星自旋轴的指向.通过对TC-1和TC-2卫星姿态的具体计算,对确定精度和应用效果进行了分析和比较.结果表明,在实际的卫星应用过程中此方法和措施非常有效,在科学分析和将来的卫星运行工程中具有重要的应用意义.      

关于HEO空间飞行体的轨道寿命问题

低轨地球卫星的轨道寿命主要取决于大气的耗散作用,其轨道在不断变小(即高度降低)变圆的状态下进入地球稠密大气层中陨落.但HEO(Highly Eccentric Orbit)类型的空间飞行体的运行轨道是一个近地点高度很低,远地点高度却很高的大偏心率椭圆轨道,其轨道寿命主要由第三体(日、月)引力摄动所决定,而且还与其轨道的初始状态有密切关系,特别是慢变量Ω(轨道升交点经度)和ω(轨道近地点幅角),决定了偏心率e的长周期变化状态,从而制约了HEO类型空间飞行体的轨道寿命.本文将根据地球卫星轨道变化规律进行理论分析,阐明这一力学机制,并给出相应的数值验证.      

Satellite monitoring of anomalous effects in the ionosphere probably related to strong earthquakes

The paper presents simultaneously a satellite monitoring of plasma density disturbances and quasi-static electric fields on the one hand, and a ground earthquake monitoring, on the other. The INTERCOSMOS-BULGARIA-1300 satellite was launched on 7th August 1981. It had a perigee of 825 km, an apogee of 906 km and orbit inclination of 81.2°. For satellite’s orbits over sources of earthquakes M ⩾ 5.5 (seismic data of the World Data Center – Denver, Colorado), in the time period 12.08.1981–30.12.1981, some ionospheric effects are investigated. These effects can be considered eventually as possible earthquake precursors. The paper discusses specific anomalous effects observed in the ionosphere, which cannot be explained by factors of solar-magnetospheric origin. They could be associated with the earthquake growing processes in the lithosphere and troposphere zones above the source. In conclusion the results of ionosphere anomalous effects monitoring are proposed.     

"Mir" radiation dosimetry results during the solar proton events in September-October 1989.

Using data from dosimetry-radiometry system "Liulin" on board of "Mir"-space station the particle flux and doserate during September-October, 1989 has been studied. The orbit of the station was 379 km perigee, 410 km apogee and 51.6 degrees inclination. Special attention has been paid to the flux and doserate changes inside the station after intensive solar proton events (SPE) on 29 of September, 1989. The comparison between the doses before and after the solar flares shows increase of the calculated mean dose per day by factor of 10 to 200. During the SPE on the 29 of September the additional dose was 310 mrad. The results of the experiment are compared with the data for the solar proton fluxes obtained on the GOES-7 satellite.     

Spot 1 end of life disposition manoeuvres

The Earth observation satellites of the SPOT family are on a Sun-synchronous orbit at 822 km altitude. The on-orbit lifetime of objects at this altitude is about two centuries, which represents an important risk to the other satellites.The space debris issue has caused the main Agencies to adopt mitigation guidelines with the objective to reduce the population of objects orbiting the Earth. In 1999, CNES published its own standard presenting the management, design and operation rules. This document is fully compliant with the Inter Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) mitigation guidelines approved in 2002 by 11 Space Agencies and submitted to United Nations – Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in February 2003.The space debris mitigation requirements expressed in the CNES standard and in the IADC mitigation guidelines limit the orbital lifetime in LEO to less than 25 years. Although not applicable to Spot 1, launched earlier in 1986, this rule was voluntarily applied and the decision to deorbit Spot 1 was taken.The corresponding operations, performed in November 2003, were complex due to a large number of constraints such as the unusual flight domain, the on-board sensors, the short ground station visibilities or the uncertainties in the estimation of the remaining fuel in the tanks. In the preliminary phase, the orbit was lowered 15 km below the operational orbit to avoid any collision risk with the other Spot satellites. Then, in a second phase, a series of eight apogee boosts lowered progressively the perigee altitude to 619 km. Finally, a large last manoeuvre was performed to empty the tanks and to reduce the perigee altitude the maximum amount. A succession of four ground stations visibilities allowed a real time monitoring of this manoeuvre. In particular the effect of gas bubbles in the propulsion system was observed through telemetry confirming the fuel depletion. The batteries were then disconnected and the telemetry emitter was switched off. According to the obtained perigee altitude, the on-orbit lifetime of Spot 1 should be about 18 years, which meets the space debris mitigation requirements.     

A study of positrons from Soviet nuclear powered satellites as tracers for magnetospheric research

Two Soviet satellites carrying nuclear reactors operated in circular 790 km orbits (65° inclination) in 1987 and 1988. Positrons generated in the satellites' surfaces by the intense reactor gamma radiation escaped and were trapped for periods of minutes to hours in the geomagnetic field. These positrons have been observed on many occasions by gamma ray sensors on the SMM satellite (in 500 km orbit) which identify the positrons by the 511 keV gamma rays created when they annihilate in the satellite surface. The SMM detector provides a time resolution of 64 milliseconds. It has recorded positron rise-times of less than 0.5 second (corresponding to a satellite travel distance of about 1 positron gyroradius) on many occasions as it encounters the low-L edge of positrons injected by the Soviet satellites as far as half-way around the earth. We are studying the potential of these sharply defined positron shells as magnetospheric tracers and as a means for examining particle diffusion and loss processes.     

LEO-LEO掩星事件持续时间及卫星间相对角速度仿真分析

通过对LEO-LEO掩星事件仿真,分析卫星轨道参数对掩星事件持续时间和卫星间相对角速度的影响.结果表明:对掩星事件持续时间影响较大的LEO-LEO卫星轨道参数依次为轨道倾角、升交点赤经、轨道高度,近地点角距对掩星事件持续时间影响不大;LEO-LEO卫星轨道倾角互补时,掩星事件持续时间最短,为98s;两颗LEO卫星轨道倾角之和或者升交点赤经之差在120°-240°范围内,掩星持续时间约100~150s;两颗LEO卫星轨道越高,掩星持续时间越短;掩星发生时,LEO卫星间水平方向相对角速度最大值约为0.14（°）·-1,俯仰方向相对角速度最大值约为0.078（°）·s-1.      

Potentials for radio occultation applications during inter-satellite calibration periods

EUMETSAT has launched the first in a series of three Metop satellites in October 2006. Each satellite has a nominal 5 year life time, covering 14 years in total. Successive satellites will be launched with about 0.5 year overlap into the same sun-synchronous polar orbit, allowing inter-satellite calibration.     

一种空间协同探测系统的星座设计方法

研究了由多颗合成孔径雷达卫星和一颗可见光卫星构成的空间协同探测系统的工作模式.根据太阳同步轨道和冻结轨道的特点,结合近地轨道遥感卫星的应用需求,选择了轨道半长轴、偏心率、倾角、近心点幅角.考虑到卫星偏航控制对覆盖性能的影响,在不动的地心坐标系中推导了卫星观测方向与地表交点的表达式,提出了确定系统中各颗卫星的升交点赤经和过近心点时刻的算法.给出了包含两颗合成孔径雷达卫星与一颗可见光卫星的协同探测系统的星座设计结果,并利用国际公认的卫星软件工具包Satellite ToolKit进行了验证,表明该设计方法是正确的.     

地球同步轨道卫星混合推进转移轨道特性分析

以地球同步轨道卫星转移轨道设计为背景，针对全化学推进燃料消耗大和全电推进转移时间长的问题，开展了化学 电混合推进转移轨道优化设计与特性分析。首先，讨论了轨道倾角和近地点幅角变化对混合推进转移轨道的影响。研究表明，在混合推进优化设计中需要将轨道倾角作为优化变量之一。然后，以近地点半径、远地点半径、轨道倾角为优化变量生成搜索网格，得到过渡轨道集。针对每条过渡轨道，构建化学推进转移段和电推进转移段。其中化学推进段采用单圈兰伯特转移解算，电推进段采用混合法优化。最后，以燃料消耗和转移时间为指标，在搜索域内开展解算分析，研究了混合推进轨道在整个搜索域内的变化趋势。该方法可以提供具有不同燃料消耗和转移时间的混合推进转移解集，拓宽了解空间，可供轨道设计人员根据任务约束灵活选用。     

月球探测器转移轨道的特性分析

主要分析了月球探测器由近地点出发，在假定末端条件不变的情况下，其转移轨道的特性参数对初始条件和变轨所需的速度脉冲等的影响；考虑的特性参数的变化包括转移轨道倾角的变化，近地点高度的变化和转移时间的不同．     

Energetic particle environment in near-Earth orbit.

The hazard of exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation is one of the primary concerns of extended manned space missions and a continuous threat for the numerous spacecraft in operation today. In the near-Earth environment the main sources of radiation are solar energetic particles (SEP), galactic cosmic rays (GCR), and geomagnetically trapped particles, predominantly protons and electrons. The intensity of the SEP and GCR source depends primarily on the phase of the solar cycle. Due to the shielding effect of the Earth's magnetic field, the observed intensity of SEP and GCR particles in a near-Earth orbit will also depend on the orbital parameters altitude and inclination. The magnetospheric source strength depends also on these orbital parameters because they determine the frequency and location of radiation belt passes. In this paper an overview of the various sources of radiation in the near-Earth orbit will be given and first results obtained with the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) will be discussed. SAMPEX was launched on 3 July 1992 into a near polar (inclination 82 degrees) low altitude (510 x 675 km) orbit. The SAMPEX payload contains four separate instruments of high sensitivity covering the energy range 0.5 to several hundred MeV/nucleon for ions and 0.4 to 30 MeV for electrons. This low altitude polar orbit with zenith-oriented instrumentation provides a new opportunity for a systematic study of the near-Earth energetic particle environment.     

Progress of Double Star Program

The Double Star Programme (DSP) is the first joint space mission between China and ESA. The mission, which is made of two spacecraft, is designed to investigate the magnetospheric global processes and their response to the interplanetary disturbances in conjunction with the Cluster mission. The first spacecraft, TC-1 (Tan Ce means "Explorer"), was launched on 30 December 2003, and the second one, TC-2, on 25 July 2004 on board two Chinese Long March 2C. Due to the importance of and success of DSP, both CNSA and ESA approved the extension of DSP. This paper presents DSP mission and some important scientific results made based on the data of DSP.     

Recent Progress of Fengyun Meteorology Satellites

After nearly 50 years of development, Fengyun (FY) satellite ushered in its best moment. China has become one of the three countries or units in the world (China, USA, and EU) that maintain both polar orbit and geostationary orbit satellites operationally. Up to now, there are 17 Fengyun (FY) satellites that have been launched successfully since 1988. There are two FY polar orbital satellites and four FY geostationary orbit satellites operate in the space to provide a huge amount of the earth observation data to the user communities. The FY satellite data has been applied not only in the meteorological but also in agriculture, hydraulic engineering, environmental, education, scientific research and other fields. More recently, three meteorological satellites have been launched within the past two years. They are FY-4A on 11 December 2016, FY-3D on 15 November 2017 and FY-2H on 5 June 2018. This paper introduces the current status of FY meteorological satellites and data service. The updates of the latest three satellites have been addressed. The characteristics of their payloads on-boarding have been specified in details and the benefit fields have been anticipated separately.      

KuaFu Mission

The KuaFu mission-Space Storms, Aurora and Space Weather Explorer-is an "L1+Polar" triple satellite project composed of three spacecraft: KuaFu-A will be located at L1 and have instruments to observe solar EUV and FUV emissions, and white-light Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), and to measure radio waves, the local plasma and magnetic field,and high-energy particles. KuaFuB1 and KuaFu- B2 will bein polar orbits chosen to facilitate continuous 24 hours a day observation of the north polar Aurora Oval. The KuaFu mission is designed to observe the complete chain of disturbances from the solar atmosphere to geospace, including solar flares, CMEs, interplanetary clouds, shock waves, and their geo-effects, such as magnetospheric sub-storms and magnetic storms, and auroral activities. The mission may start at the next solar maximum (launch in about 2012), and with an initial mission lifetime of two to three years. KuaFu data will be used for the scientific study of space weather phenomena, and will be used for space weather monitoring and forecast purposes. The overall mission design, instrument complement, and incorporation of recent technologies will target new fundamental science, advance our understanding of the physical processes underlying space weather, and raise the standard of end-to-end monitoring of the Sun-Earth system.     

Asymmetrical structure in the thermosphere during magnetic stroms as deduced from the CACTUS accelerometer data

During the last solar activity minimum, a great deal of very precise total density data was obtained in the equatorial regions from the CACTUS accelerometer experiment. Due to the eccentricity of the orbit, it is also possible to determine a density scale height by considering that the density profiles between the perigee (270 km) and 400 km are quasi-vertical. Densities and density scale heights are analysed during magnetic storms and their variations are compared with their behaviour during quiet periods. For densities as well as for scale heights, an asymmetrical structure in latitude and longitude is exhibited with respect to the magnetic equator. Their values are relatively higher in the northern hemisphere than in the southern one. The hypothesis (previously suggested) of a greater energy input in the southern hemisphere inducing asymmetrical winds, explains the results well.     

An improved focusing method for geosynchronous SAR

More and more attention is paid to Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) in recent years due to its fine temporal resolution and large coverage, so that GEO SAR will play an important role in monitoring natural disasters, but its imaging is more difficult compared to lower Earth orbit (LEO) SAR because of the increase of orbit height. This paper mainly studies the coverage property and focusing method in GEO SAR. As is known to us, the coverage of a GEO SAR satellite can reach 1/3 of the whole Earth, and the revisiting time can reduce to 2 h, which will remarkably improve the capability in ocean applications, earth dynamics and natural hazards management and so on. Compared with the imaging in LEO SAR, a problem in GEO SAR is that the linear trajectory model can bring a big error due to the long synthetic aperture time, so that the classical imaging algorithms in LEO SAR cannot be directly applied in GEO SAR. Using the Norm method and Taylor expansion method, this paper gains an accurate slant range model, which can resolve the big error of the linear trajectory at perigee and collapse of the linear trajectory at apogee. Furthermore, this paper deduces a novel imaging algorithm for GEO SAR by means of series reversion, which realizes the focusing on large scene under the synthetic aperture time of 100 s. Finally, the simulation results at apogee and perigee prove the correction of the slant range model and imaging algorithm.     

利用卫星两行轨道根数反演热层密度

两行轨道根数（TLEs）是基于一般摄动理论产生的用于预报地球轨道飞行器位置和速度的一组轨道参数,通过求解大气阻力微分方程,可反演出热层大气密度. 本文选取近圆轨道CHAMP卫星和椭圆轨道Explorer8卫星,以两行轨道根数数据为基础,计算反弹道系数,并根据不同轨道特征采用两种不同反演方法对热层大气密度进行研究. 结果表明,这两种方法反演得到的大气密度与实测值均符合较好,其中CHAMP卫星的反演结果和经验模式值相对于实测值的误差分别为7.94%和13.94%,Explorer8卫星的误差分别为9.04%和14.32%. 相比模式值,利用两行轨道根数数据反演的热层大气密度更接近于实测值,说明该方法可以作为获取大量可靠大气密度数据的一种有效途径.