A Study of Oscillations near a Resonance during the Descent of a Spacecraft in the Atmosphere

An analysis of the stability of the resonance motion of a spacecraft with a small asymmetry during its descent in the atmosphere is carried out. In the vicinity of the main resonance, the action–angle variables are introduced and an equation of the variation of action is composed. A conclusion related to the stability of the resonance motion is made from the investigation of this equation. Sufficient conditions of stability of the resonance motion of a spacecraft are obtained and represented in a form convenient for analysis.     

Determination of parameters of attitude motion of a small communication satellite using the data of measurements of current of solar panels

A communication satellite (small spacecraft) injected into a geosynchronous orbit is considered. Flywheel engines are used to control the rotational spacecraft motion. The spacecraft after the emergency situation has passed into a state of uncontrolled rotation. In this case, no direct telemetric information about parameters of its rotational motion was accessible. As a result, the problem arose to determine the rotational satellite motion according to the available indirect information: current taken from the solar panels. Telemetric measurements of solar panel current obtained on the time interval of a few hours were simultaneously processed by the least squares method integrating the equations of rotational satellite motion. We present the results of processing 10 intervals of the measurement data allowing one to determine the real rotational spacecraft motion and to estimate the total angular momentum of flywheel engines.     

Some issues of time-optimal control over a spacecraft programmed turn

The problem of optimal turn of a spacecraft from an arbitrary initial position to a final specified angular position in a minimum time is considered and solved. A case is investigated, when the constraint on spacecraft’s angular momentum during the turn is essential. Based on the quaternion method a solution to the posed problem has been found, and an optimal control program is constructed taking the constraints on controlling moment into account. The optimal control is found in the class of regular motions. A condition (calculation expression) is presented for determining the moment to begin braking with the use of measurements of current motion parameters, which considerably improves the accuracy of putting the spacecraft into a preset position. For a dynamically symmetrical spacecraft the solution to the problem of optimal control by the spacecraft spatial turn is presented in analytical form (expressions in elementary functions). An example of mathematical modeling of the spacecraft motion dynamics under optimal control over reorientation is given.     

The Use of Quaternions in the Optimal Control Problems of Motion of the Center of Mass of a Spacecraft in a Newtonian Gravitational Field: III

The results of numerical solution of the problem of a rendezvous in the central Newtonian gravitational field of a controlled spacecraft with an uncontrollable spacecraft moving along an elliptic Keplerian orbit are presented. Two variants of the equations of motion for the spacecraft center of mass are used, written in rotating coordinate systems and using quaternion variables to describe the orientations of these coordinate systems. The problem of a rendezvous of two spacecraft is formulated [1, 2] as a problem of optimal control by the motion of the center of mass of a controlled spacecraft with a movable right end of the trajectory, and it is solved on the basis of Pontryagin's maximum principle. The paper is a continuation of papers [1, 2], where the problem of a rendezvous of two spacecraft has been considered theoretically using the two above variants of the equations of motion for the center of mass of the controlled spacecraft.     

The Use of Quaternions in the Optimal Control Problems of Motion of the Center of Mass of a Spacecraft in a Newtonian Gravitational Field: II

The problem of a rendezvous in the central Newtonian gravitational field is considered for a controlled spacecraft and an uncontrollable spacecraft moving along an elliptic Keplerian orbit. For solving the problem, two variants of the equations of motion for the spacecraft center of mass are used, written in rotating coordinate systems and using quaternion variables to describe the orientations of these coordinate systems. In the first variant of the equations of motion a quaternion variable characterizes the orientation of an instantaneous orbit of the spacecraft and the spacecraft location in the orbit, while in the second variant it characterizes the orientation of the plane of the spacecraft instantaneous orbit and the location of a generalized pericenter in the orbit. The quaternion variable used in the second variant of the equations of motion is a quaternion osculating element of the spacecraft orbit. The problem of a rendezvous of two spacecraft is formulated as a problem of optimal control by the motion of the center of mass of a controlled spacecraft with a movable right end of the trajectory, and it is solved on the basis of Pontryagin's maximum principle.     

The Use of Quaternions in the Optimal Control Problems of Motion of the Center of Mass of a Spacecraft in a Newtonian Gravitational Field: I

The problem of optimal control is considered for the motion of the center of mass of a spacecraft in a central Newtonian gravitational field. For solving the problem, two variants of the equations of motion for the spacecraft center of mass are used, written in rotating coordinate systems. Both the variants have a quaternion variable among the phase variables. In the first variant this variable characterizes the orientation of an instantaneous orbit of the spacecraft and (simultaneously) the spacecraft location in this orbit, while in the second variant only the instantaneous orbit orientation is specified by it. The suggested equations are convenient in the respect that they allow the general three-dimensional problem of optimal control by the motion of the spacecraft center of mass to be considered as a composition of two interrelated problems. In the first variant these problems are (1) the problem of control of the shape and size of the spacecraft orbit and (2) the problem of control of the orientation of a spacecraft orbit and the spacecraft location in this orbit. The second variant treats (1) the problem of control of the shape and size of the spacecraft orbit and the orbit location of the spacecraft and (2) the problem of control of the orientation of the spacecraft orbit. The use of quaternion variables makes this consideration most efficient. The problem of optimal control is solved on the basis of the maximum principle. Several first integrals of the systems of equations of the boundary value problems of the maximum principle are found. Transformations are suggested that reduce the dimensions of the systems of differential equations of boundary value problems (without complicating them). Geometrical interpretations are given to the transformations and first integrals. The relation of the vectorial first integral of one of the derived systems of equations (which is an analog of the well-known vectorial first integral of the studied problem of optimal control) with the found quaternion first integral is considered. In this paper, which is the first part of the work, we consider the models of motion of the spacecraft center of mass that employ quaternion variables. The problem of optimal control by the motion of the spacecraft center of mass is investigated on the basis of the first variant of equations of motion. An example of a numerical solution of the problem is given.     

Transition of Planar Rotational Motion of an Asymmetric Spacecraft into Oscillatory Motion at Its Reentry into the Atmosphere

The motion of a spacecraft with small asymmetry relative to its center of mass is considered. The restoring aerodynamic moment of the spacecraft is described by the Fourier series in terms of the angle of attack with the two first sinusoidal and the first cosinusoidal terms. A solution for the angle of attack in the undisturbed rotational motion is found. The analytical expression is obtained for the integral of action taken along the separatrices that separate the rotational and oscillatory regions of the phase portrait of a system. The transition of the spacecraft's motion from planar rotational to oscillatory is investigated. This transition is caused by a slow variation of moment characteristic coefficients, as well as by the presence of small asymmetry and damping and slow variation of their coefficients. Analytical formulas are obtained for determining the times of transition from rotational to oscillatory motion, as well as for the critical angular velocity of beyond-the-atmosphere rotation. When this critical velocity is exceeded, body rotation proceeds for a long time interval (planar autorotation arises).     

Optimal Control of a Spatial Turn of a Spacecraft with Minimal Loading of Construction

The problem of optimal control of a three-dimensional turn of a spacecraft is considered and solved. The turn is performed from an initial angular position into the required final angular position in a specified time and with a minimum value of the functional that represents the degree of loading of the construction. An analytical solution to the formulated problem is presented. It is demonstrated that the optimal (in this sense) control of the spacecraft reorientation can be determined in the class of a regular precession executed by the spacecraft. The instant when braking begins is determined based on the principles of terminal control using the actual kinematical parameters of the spacecraft motion, which substantially increases the accuracy of transferring the spacecraft to a specified position. Data of mathematical modeling are also presented that confirm the efficiency of the described method of controlling the spacecraft's three-dimensional turn.     

Optimization Problem in Control over a Programmed Turn of a Spacecraft

The problem of spacecraft reorientation from its initial angular position into a desired final position within a given time interval with a minimum value of the angular moment is considered and solved analytically in this work. It is shown that the control over the spacecraft reorientation, optimal in this sense, might be defined in the class of a regular precession performed by the spacecraft. The moment of the start of deceleration is determined from the principles of the terminal control by using real kinematic parameters of apparatus motion, which increases significantly the accuracy of reorientation. The results of mathematical modeling are presented, showing a high efficiency of the proposed way of reorientation.     

Determination of Parameters of the Model of Inherent Drifts for a Gyro-Stabilized Platform Using Information Criteria

The problem of determining the parameters of the model of inherent drifts is solved for a gyro-stabilized platform on the basis of the use of the Fisher information criterion for the most general assumptions about the character of spacecraft motion and statistical properties of instrumental noise.     

间接Legendre伪谱法的欠驱动航天器姿态运动轨迹跟踪

针对仅带有两组喷气推力器的非轴对称欠驱动刚性航天器,提出一种基于间接Legendre伪谱法的姿态运动轨迹跟踪控制算法。首先采用Legendre伪谱法(LPM)离线规划出系统的最短时间姿态机动参考轨迹。接着将实际运行轨迹与参考轨迹之间的偏差作为变量,根据Pontryagin极小值原理必要条件把系统姿态运动跟踪问题转化为一个两点边值问题(TPBVP)。最后采用 Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto(LGL)点将此两点边值问题离散转化为一个线性方程组来求解,避免了对传统Riccati微分方程的积分运算。数值仿真校验了本文基于间接Legendre伪谱法的姿态运动轨迹跟踪控制算法的有效性。     

访问多个特定相对位置的航天器轨道设计

在航天器轨道设计问题中,将惯性空间中经典的吉布斯三矢量定轨方法拓展到相对运动空间中,给出了一种相对运动条件下的三矢量定轨方法。针对已知轨道的目标航天器,以及二个或三个给定的空间相对位置,基于相对运动方程,提出了设计跟随航天器飞行轨道的数值方法。以轨道面共面或异面,以及目标航天器轨道形状为椭圆或圆,将问题分为四种情况进行约束条件和自由变量个数的分析讨论。对于自由变量个数多于约束方程的情况,额外给定周期重访约束,将各种情况下的特定相对位置访问问题转化为一至二维的非线性方程(组)求解问题。对一维方程求解采用分段黄金分割+割线法进行快速求解;对二维方程组通过网格法搜索迭代初值并通过牛顿迭代快速求解。进一步基于线性模型的解,采用微分修正方法求解了各情况下J2摄动模型下的结果。数值算例验证了提出方法的正确性及有效性。     

Optimal control of the deployment process of solar wings on spacecraft

The optimal attitude control problem of spacecraft during the stretching process of solar wings is investigated in this paper. The dynamical equations of the nonholonomic system are derived from the conservation principle of the angular momentum of the multibody system. Attitude control of the spacecraft with internal motion is reduced to a nonholonomic motion planning problem. The spacecraft attitude control is transformed into the steering problem for a drift free control system. The optimal solution for steering a spacecraft with solar wings is presented. The controlled motion of spacecraft is simulated for two cases. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the optimal control approach.     

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.     

Determination of an Estimation of Parameters of Motion of a Spacecraft on the Stage of Its Descent on the Basis of Integration of Inertial and Optoelectronic Navigation Systems

The problem of determining an estimation of current spacecraft motion parameters on the stage of its descent is solved on the basis of readings of an optoelectronic navigation system and additional information from the self-contained inertial navigation system at the most general assumptions on the nature of motion of the object and the statistical properties of the noise of the measuring devices.     

能量最优的航天器连续动态避障轨迹规划

针对传统脉冲避障算法在航天器轨迹规划应用中存在对瞬时推力依赖性强且燃料消耗量大的问题,提出能量最优的连续动态避障算法。该算法首先基于线性相对运动方程与有限时间的能量最优模型,建立了相对运动能量最优模型,同时验证了模型最优性;其次将动态障碍物的 y 向运动误差偏移与正态分布概率引入避碰安全距离模型,修正了追踪航天器动态避障的范围,确定了安全距离矢量长度,增强了规避障碍的可靠性;最后通过障碍物速度矢量与追踪器航天器速度矢量夹角确定动态避障点方向,减少燃料消耗的同时提高了避障的有效性、准确性。通过仿真验证,该算法可以自适应选取规避障碍点,有效规避动态障碍;工质燃料消耗较小,有效延长航天器在轨寿命。     

Features of rotational motion of a spacecraft descending in the Martian atmosphere

Angular motion at atmospheric entry is studied in the paper for a spacecraft with a bi-harmonic moment characteristic. Special attention is given to the case when the spacecraft possesses two stable balanced positions, and, hence, it can oscillate in dense atmospheric layers in the ranges of small or large angles of attack. The averaged equations of spacecraft motion are derived, which allow one to increase the speed of calculations by several orders of magnitude. A real example is presented, which concerns a spacecraft specially designed for descending in the Martian atmosphere.     

空间机械臂非完整运动规划的遗传算法研究

带空间机械臂航天器系统在无外力矩作用时，系统相对于总质心的动量矩守恒而变为非完整系统。由于非完整约束的不可积性，非完整系统的运动规划与控制比一般系统要困难得多。现利用非完整特性研究了自由漂浮空间机械臂的三维姿态运动控制问题。首先导出带空间机械臂的航天器三维姿态运动数学模型，并将系统的控制问题转化为无漂移系统的非完整运动规划问题。在运动规划中，根据最优控制原理和优化理论，提出基于遗传算法的最优运动规划数值算法。通过数值仿真，表明该方法对空间机械臂及航天器三维姿态运动的非完整运动规划是有效的。     

On stability of a rotating spacecraft partially filled with liquid: The case of a single cavity

The problem of stability of a rotating spacecraft with a cavity partially filled with liquid to a small depth is considered with regard to the distinction in angular velocities of spacecraft and liquid rotation and their variability (the modes of the spacecraft’s stationary rotation, spin-up, and rotation deceleration). The regions of stability (in space of the characteristic parameters of an object) are found, and mathematical simulating of the disturbed motion is carried out.     

Bifurcation Regime of a Synchronous Resonance in the Translational–Rotational Motion of Nonspherical Natural Satellites of Planets

Period-doubling bifurcations of the synchronous spin-orbit resonance in the motion of a nonspherical natural planetary satellite along the elliptic orbit are studied. The satellite spin axis is assumed to coincide with the axis of its largest principal moment of inertia and is perpendicular to the orbital plane. The period-doubling bifurcations take place when the value of satellite's dynamical asymmetry parameter falls in the parametric resonance domain. Theoretical dependences of the amplitude of the bifurcation oscillations of a satellite at the pericenter of its orbit upon the eccentricity and dynamical asymmetry parameter are investigated. Three different methods of calculating the amplitude of bifurcation oscillations are presented and compared. These theoretical estimates can be used to predict the opportunity to observe the bifurcation regime. The possibility of the occurrence of the bifurcation regime in the motion of natural planetary satellites is studied. It is concluded that the bifurcation regime is possible in the motion of Deimos, Epimetheus, Helen, Pandora, and Phobos. Phobos is the most probable candidate for finding the bifurcation regime of a synchronous rotation. The identification of such a regime would allow one to impose stringent constraints on the values of the inertial parameters of the satellite observed.