Post mission life plan for FORMOSAT-2

This paper presents the enhancement in mission operations, the mission life state-of-health (SOH) trending analysis, and the post mission life plan of the FORMOSAT-2 (or FS2, Formosa satellite #2, was called ROCSAT-2, or RS2, Republic of China satellite #2, previously) during its five years mission life from 20 May 2004 to 20 May 2009. There are two payloads onboard FS2: a remote sensing instrument (RSI) with nadir ground sampling distance (GSD) of 2 m for panchromatic (PAN) and GSD of 8 m for multi-spectral (MS, 4 bands) as the primary payload, and an imager for sprite and upper atmospheric lightning (ISUAL) as the secondary payload. It was launched on 20 May 2004. The design life is 7 years while the mission life is 5 years. In other words, the end of mission life date of FS2 is 20 May 2009. Generally speaking, FS2 is still at very good condition in its SOH. Post mission life plan for FS2 consists of: the practice of orbit transfer for global coverage and better resolution, the development of gyroless attitude control, and the method for life extension. It is expected that the working life of FS2 can be extended 3–5 years.     

同时地形高程测量和地面运动目标检测的分布式InSAR最优编队构形

分布式小卫星干涉SAR为了同时获得时间基线(用于地面运动目标检测)和空间基线(用于地形高程测量),采取空间立体编队构形(即非沿航向直线编队),然而这种混合基线的情况会导致地面运动目标与地形杂波存在相位耦合,而且只靠信号处理方法很难分离,这对于检测地面运动目标极为不利。提出几种最优编队构形,在保证获得两种干涉基线的同时,通过对消两对干涉SAR图像来抑制掉固定杂波,从而可以检测地面运动目标,这种方法具有处理简单和性能较好等优点。最后给出了仿真结果。     

分布式小卫星合成孔径雷达多基线干涉技术

研究分布式小卫星合成孔径雷达中的多基线干涉技术问题。现有的多基线干涉技术提高三维地形成像性 能的办法主要有两种——利用多幅单视复图像提高干涉图像质量和利用迭代法提高地形高度估计精度。讨论这两种技 术在分布式小卫星合成孔径雷达中的应用。指出分布式小卫星合成孔径雷达中多基线干涉之所以提高干涉图像质量主 要在于:①干涉相位具有更高的估计精度;②干涉相位具有更大的模糊基;③干涉图具有更大的极限平均视数。给出分 布式小卫星合成孔径雷达多基线干涉迭代法提高地形高度估计精度的数据处理流程。     

Flight performance analysis of GRACE K-band ranging instrument with simulation data

A dual one-way ranging (DOWR) system provides very high accuracy range measurements between two satellites. The GRACE satellite mission implements the DOWR, called KBR (K-band ranging), to measure very small inter-satellite range change in order to map the Earth gravity field. The flight performance of the KBR is analyzed by using a hybrid software simulator that incorporates actual satellite orbit data into a comprehensive KBR simulator, which was earlier used for computing the GRACE baseline accuracy. Three types of experiments were performed. First is the comparison of the flight data with the simulated data in spectral domain. Second is the comparison of double differenced noise level. Third is the comparison of the range-rate difference with GPS clock estimates. The analysis shows a good agreement with the simulation model except some excessive high frequency noise, e.g. 10⁻⁴ m/√Hz at 0.1 Hz. The range-rate difference shows 0.003 cyc/s discrepancy with the clock estimates. These analyses are helpful to refine the DOWR simulation model and can be benefit to future DOWR instrument development.     

Beispiele für den einsatz von Radar in der satelliten-fernerkundung

(Examples of the application of radar to remote sensing via satellite) Europe, the United States of America, Canada and Japan are planning future space missions which will carry Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems as key sensors for remote sensing purposes. These systems are dedicated to application areas which cover nearly all Earth sciences from oceanography to agriculture.This paper introduces the measurement principles. The main emphasis is put on the usefulness and limitations of these techniques. Examples from airborne measurements as well as space-borne missions much as SEASAT and SIR A (Shuttle Imaging Radar) are presented.     

Möglichkeiten und grenzen von mikrowellensystemen zur fernerkundung von satelliten

(Possibilities and Limitations of Microwave Systems for Satellite Remote Sensing)—Microwaves are applied in satellite remote sensing in both active, i.e. radar systems and in passive, i.e. microwave radiometer systems. The advantages and disadvantages of active and passive microwave systems in comparison to each other and to optical systems are discussed shortly. It becomes evident that radar has advantages over microwave radiometry due to its ranging and velocity-measurement capability, due to its SAR-capability with its extremely fine resolution and due to the fact that no major theoretical limitations exist for the obtainable measurement accuracy.The most important radar systems for Earth and ocean observations from satellites are altimeter, scatterometer and imaging radars with real or synthetic aperture. The physical and technical basics of these types of radar are presented together with some applications. Examples for remote sensing data and results obtained from different microwave remote sensing systems show the present state of the art and the present possibilities and limitations of microwave systems for satellite remote sensing.     

微纳InSAR卫星总体技术研究

微纳合成孔径雷达干涉(Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry, InSAR)卫星是对地定量化遥感的重要手段。开展了微纳InSAR卫星系统总体技术研究，给出了使得干涉测量覆盖范围最大的双星编队构型设计方法，建立了低燃料消耗双星轨道参数设计准则，提出高功能密度比InSAR卫星系统的设计方法，包括载荷平台一体化、卫星高集成模块化等总体设计方法，并给出了相应的设计实例。     

Taiwan's second remote sensing satellite

FORMOSAT-2 is Taiwan's first remote sensing satellite (RSS). It was launched on 20 May 2004 with five-year mission life and a very unique mission orbit at 891 km altitude. This orbit gives FORMOSAT-2 the daily revisit feature and the capability of imaging the Arctic and Antarctic regions due to the high enough altitude. For more than three years, FORMOSAT-2 has performed outstanding jobs and its global effectiveness is evidenced in many fields such as public education in Taiwan, Earth science and ecological niche research, preservation of the world heritages, contribution to the International Charter: space and major disasters, observation of suspected North Korea and Iranian nuclear facilities, and scientific observation of the atmospheric transient luminous events (TLEs). In order to continue the provision of earth observation images from space, the National Space Organization (NSPO) of Taiwan started to work on the second RSS from 2005. This second RSS will also be Taiwan's first indigenous satellite. Both the bus platform and remote sensing instrument (RSI) shall be designed and manufactured by NSPO and the Instrument Technology Research Center (ITRC) under the supervision of the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARL). Its onboard computer (OBC) shall use Taiwan's indigenous LEON-3 central processing unit (CPU). In order to achieve cost effective design, the commercial off the shelf (COTS) components shall be widely used. NSPO shall impose the up-screening/qualification and validation/verification processes to ensure their normal functions for proper operations in the severe space environments.     

月球测图技术发展及其关键技术分析

首先针对国外有关测绘技术和方案,对国际月球探测测绘历程进行概括总结,并针对CCD立体观测、干涉雷达测量、扫描激光测绘等3种主要的测绘方案进行分析比较,继而提出适合我国月球探测目标的三维遥感测绘成像技术途径,并对月球探测器三维遥感数据的信息成像模型进行了分析和阐述,对数据表示、处理和存储进行论述;建议“采用组合CCD相机和成像光谱仪的月球三维遥感”作为我国环月遥感立体测绘的首选方案。     

A bistatic SAR mission for earth observation based on a small satellite

The authors present a new scientific space mission consisting of a satellite carrying a receiving- only SAR which receives the signal transmitted by the ENVISAT-1 SAR. The integration of ENVISAT-1 SAR and bistatic radar data offers an improved potentiality of surface classification, three-dimensional observation, and the opportunity of advanced scientific experiments in the field of bistatic scattering. The small satellite nominal orbit and the attitude manoeuvres are designed in order to maintain an adequate overlap between the two radar swaths along the whole orbit, taking into account the ENVISAT-1 attitude and pointing. A preliminary satellite design (2-year lifetime) is then performed to evaluate the orbit decay and to determine the appropriate orbit manoeuvres (every 4 days) to control the satellites relative phase. The numerical simulation shows that a spacecraft of about 584kg is able to meet the mission requirements.     

SAR产品图像像素定位方法的选择与参数优化

通过对几种合成孔雷达（ＳＡＲ）遥感图像的像元定位理论模型进行阐述了比较，得出距离－－多普勒（Ｒ－Ｄ）模型作为定位模型的核心内容为最佳。进而指出了定位模型建立和达到实用的过程中仍需完善和解决的若干问题，尤其是结合ＳＡＲ图像产品格式，指出了所需参数的获取与优化方法。     

ERDSAT,a satellite concept for Earth observations with combined optical and microwave payload

The concept of a European remote sensing satellite (ERDSAT) launched by ARIANE is characterized by a model payload, consisting of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and an optical multispectral scanner with 9 channels, for land applications or coastal zone missions. The mission goal of ERDSAT is based on European user requrements where a strong need for optical and microwave sensor operation on board the same satellite in a simultaneous or sequential mode is expressed. A data collection system is included. The proposed spacecraft is three-axes-stabilized and has a Sun-synchronous, near polar circular orbit with 750 km altitude. The selected configuration separates payload module and bus module. A thermostable carbon fibre grating structure is the central framework of the satellite. Each major subsystem is housed in a separate compartment and can be integrated and tested individually. First mass estimates resulted in 450 kg for the payload and 880 kg for the bus. The maximum power needed is 1750 W (for 6 min three times a day), which will be provided by a 1330 W solar array and two batteries. A “low cost” model philosophy is defined; the time schedule envisages a program start in late 1980 and a launch possibility end of 1985.     

Antenna for precise orbit determination

The ESA SWARM mission will consist of three satellites that will measure the Earth magnetic field. The system calls for metre accuracy knowledge of the measurement locations. To achieve this a GPS receiver is used. At least four GPS signals are tracked to determine the code and carrier ranges, from which the position can be derived. The accuracy improves when using more GPS satellites and by averaging over many measurements. The latter is achieved in ground processing with a model-based orbit prediction, resulting in cm accuracy. The main error contributions in the processing are often measurement errors due to satellite multi-path effects. The multipath effects are characterized by measuring the antenna on a 1.5 m mock-up, representing the 9 m long satellite. In order to verify that the mock-up is representative, extensive electromagnetic simulations were made. The simulations included the antenna and the complete satellite and were then reduced to the antenna and a section of the satellite. The actual design of the antenna was performed with several levels of software. First, a fast bodies-of-revolution simulation found a geometry with the right coverage. Then, a finite element method simulation allowed us to match the antenna at two frequencies simultaneously.     

Investigation of nuclear electric powered interstellar precursor missions

Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) is a technology conceptually proposed since the 1940s by E. Stuhlinger in Germany. The JIMO mission originally planned by NASA in the early 2000s produced at least two designs of ion thrusters fed by a 20–30 kW nuclear powerplant. When compared to conventional (chemical) propulsion, the major advantage of NEP in the JIMO context was recognized to be the much higher I_sp (lab-tested at up to 15,000 s) and the capability for sustained power generation, up to 8–10 years when derated to I_sp about 8000 s.The goal of this paper is to show that current or near term NEP technology enables missions far beyond our immediate interplanetary backyard. In fact, by extending the semi-analytical approach used by Stuhlinger, with reasonable ratios α≡power/mass of the propulsion system (i.e., 0.1– 0.4 kW/kg), missions to the Kuiper Belt (40 AU and beyond) and even the so-called FOCAL mission (at 540 AU) become feasible with an attractive payload fraction and in times of order 10–15 years.Further results regarding missions to Sedna’s perihelion/aphelion, and to Oort’s cloud will also be presented, showing the constraints affecting their feasibility and mass budget.     

Power system design of ESMO

The European Student Moon Orbiter (ESMO) spacecraft is a student-built mini satellite being designed for a mission to the Moon. Designing and launching mini satellites are becoming a current trend in the space sector since they provide an economic way to perform innovative scientific experiments and in-flight demonstration of novel space technologies. The generation, storage, control, and distribution of the electrical power in a mini satellite represents unique challenges to the power engineer since the mass and volume restrictions are very stringent. Regardless of these problems, every subsystem and payload equipment must be operated within their specified voltage band whenever they required to be turned on. This paper presents the preliminary design of a lightweight, compact, and reliable power system for ESMO that can generate 720 W. Some of the key components of the EPS include ultra triple-junction (UTJ) GaAs solar cells controlled by maximum power point trackers, and high efficiency Li-ion secondary batteries recharged in parallel.     

Super-capacitor energy storage for micro-satellites: Feasibility and potential mission applications

Small satellites, weighting between 100 and 200 kg, have witnessed increasing use for a variety of space applications including remote sensing constellations and technology demonstrations. The energy storage/stored power demands of most spacecraft, including small satellites, are currently accommodated by rechargeable batteries—typically nickel–cadmium cells (specific energy of 50 Wh kg⁻¹), or more recently lithium-ion cells (150 Wh kg⁻¹). High energy density is a primary concern for spacecraft energy storage design, and these batteries have been sufficient for most applications. However, constraints on the allowable on-board battery size have limited peak power performance such that the maximum power supply capability of small satellites currently ranges between only 70 and 200 W. This relatively low maximum power limits the capabilities of small satellites in terms of payload design and selection. In order to enhance these satellites' power performance, the research reported in this paper focused on the implementation of super-capacitors as practical rechargeable energy storage medium, and as an alternative to chemical batteries. Compared to batteries, some super-capacitors are able to supply high power at high energy-efficiency, but unfortunately they still have a very low energy density (5–30 Wh kg⁻¹). However, the provision of this high power capability would considerably widen the range of small satellite applications.     

Endurance testing of a pulsed plasma thruster for nanosatellites

The mission complexity of Nanosatellites has increased tremendously in recent years, but their mission range is limited due to the lack of an active orbit control or ∆v capability. Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPT), featuring structural simplicity and very low power consumption are a prime candidate for such applications. However, the required miniaturization of standard PPTs and the adaption to the low power consumption is not straightforward. Most investigated systems have failed to show the required lifetime. The present coaxial design has shown a lifetime of up to 1 million discharges at discharge energies of 1.8 J in previous studies. The present paper focuses on performance characterizations of this design. For this purpose direct thrust measurements with a µN thrust balance were conducted. Thrust measurements in conjunction with mass bit determination allowed a comprehensive assessment. Based on those measurements the present µPPT has a total impulses capability of approximately I≈1.7 Ns, an average mass bit of 0.37 µg s⁻¹ and an average specific impulse of I_sp≈904 s. All tests have shown very good EM compatibility of the PPT with the electronics of the flight-like printed circuit board. Consequently, a complete µPPT unit can provide a ∆v change of 5.1 m/s or 2.6 m/s to a standard 1-unit or 2-unit CubeSat respectively.     

MESSENGER at Mercury: Early orbital operations

The MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft, launched in August 2004 under NASA's Discovery Program, was inserted into orbit about the planet Mercury in March 2011. MESSENGER's three flybys of Mercury in 2008–2009 marked the first spacecraft visits to the innermost planet since the Mariner 10 flybys in 1974–1975. The unprecedented orbital operations are yielding new insights into the nature and evolution of Mercury. The scientific questions that frame the MESSENGER mission led to the mission measurement objectives to be achieved by the seven payload instruments and the radio science experiment. Interweaving the full set of required orbital observations in a manner that maximizes the opportunity to satisfy all mission objectives and yet meet stringent spacecraft pointing and thermal constraints was a complex optimization problem that was solved with a software tool that simulates science observations and tracks progress toward meeting each objective. The final orbital observation plan, the outcome of that optimization process, meets all mission objectives. MESSENGER's Mercury Dual Imaging System is acquiring a global monochromatic image mosaic at better than 90% coverage and at least 250 m average resolution, a global color image mosaic at better than 90% coverage and at least 1 km average resolution, and global stereo imaging at better than 80% coverage and at least 250 m average resolution. Higher-resolution images are also being acquired of targeted areas. The elemental remote sensing instruments, including the Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer and the X-Ray Spectrometer, are being operated nearly continuously and will establish the average surface abundances of most major elements. The Visible and Infrared Spectrograph channel of MESSENGER's Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer is acquiring a global map of spectral reflectance from 300 to 1450 nm wavelength at a range of incidence and emission angles. Targeted areas have been selected for spectral coverage into the ultraviolet with the Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVVS). MESSENGER's Mercury Laser Altimeter is acquiring topographic profiles when the slant range to Mercury's surface is less than 1800 km, encompassing latitudes from 20°S to the north pole. Topography over the remainder of the southern hemisphere will be derived from stereo imaging, radio occultations, and limb profiles. MESSENGER's radio science experiment is determining Mercury's gravity field from Doppler signals acquired during frequent downlinks. MESSENGER's Magnetometer is measuring the vector magnetic field both within Mercury's magnetosphere and in Mercury's solar wind environment at an instrument sampling rate of up to 20 samples/s. The UVVS is determining the three-dimensional, time-dependent distribution of Mercury's exospheric neutral and ionic species via their emission lines. During each spacecraft orbit, the Energetic Particle Spectrometer measures energetic electrons and ions, and the Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer measures the energies and mass per charge of thermal plasma components, both within Mercury's magnetosphere and in Mercury's solar-wind environment. The primary mission observation sequence will continue for one Earth year, until March 2012. An extended mission, currently under discussion with NASA, would add a second year of orbital observations targeting a set of focused follow-on questions that build on observations to date and take advantage of the more active Sun expected during 2012–2013. MESSENGER's total primary mission cost, projected at $446 M in real-year dollars, is comparable to that of Mariner 10 after adjustment for inflation.     

星载SAR的GMTI技术

根据地面动目标回波信号特性,研究了用于星载合成孔径雷达（SAR）的相位中心偏置天线（DPCA）、沿航迹干涉（ATI）、DPCA-Radon和DPCA-Frft-ATI等地面动目标检测（GMTI）算法。讨论了以实现GMTI为任务的分布SAR小卫星的构型和工作模式,分析了GMTI的最大可检测速度、最小可检测速度和盲速等系统指标,以及分布式SAR系统实现GMTI的难点。     

遥感数据在自然灾害救助中的应用

根据《自然灾害救助条例》的自然灾害救助业务需求,分析了卫星遥感和航空遥感在自然灾害救助中的应用能力,利用高分辨率“快鸟”（Quickbird）卫星、地球资源观测卫星一B（EROS—B）的光学数据、“地中海盆地观测小卫星”（COSMO—Skymed）星座的合成孔径雷达数据、航空及无人机的遥感数据,结合空间分析方法,对汶川地震和玉树地震后灾民安置点规划、房屋倒损评估、帐篷动态监测、灾后灾民安置及环境、房屋恢复重建进度等进行了研究,其相关产品为政府提供决策支持信息、制定科学合理的救灾措施发挥了重要作用。