PRISMA—A formation flying project in implementation phase

The PRISMA project for autonomous formation flying and rendezvous has passed its critical design review in February–March 2007. The project comprises two satellites which are an in-orbit testbed for Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) algorithms and sensors for advanced formation flying and rendezvous. Several experiments involving GNC algorithms, sensors and thrusters will be performed during a 10 month mission with launch planned for the second half of 2009.The project is run by the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) in close cooperation with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the French Space Agency (CNES) and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Additionally, the project also will demonstrate flight worthiness of two novel motor technologies: one that uses environmentally clean and non-hazardous propellant, and one that consists of a microthruster system based on MEMS technology.The project will demonstrate autonomous formation flying and rendezvous based on several sensors—GPS, RF-based and vision based—with different objectives and in different combinations. The GPS-based onboard navigation system, contributed by DLR, offers relative orbit information in real-time in decimetre range. The RF-based navigation instrument intended for DARWIN, under CNES development, will be tested for the first time on PRISMA, both for instrument performance, but also in closed loop as main sensor for formation flying. Several rendezvous and proximity manoeuvre experiments will be demonstrated using only vision based sensor information coming from the modified star camera provided by DTU. Semi-autonomous operations ranging from 200 km to 1 m separation between the satellites will be demonstrated.With the project now in the verification phase particular attention is given to the specific formation flying and rendezvous functionality on instrument, GNC-software and system level.     

System test results from the GNC experiments on the PRISMA in-orbit test bed

The PRISMA in-orbit test bed will demonstrate guidance, navigation, and control strategies for spacecraft formation flying and rendezvous. The project is funded by the Swedish National Space Board and the prime contractor is the Swedish Space Corporation. The project is further supported by the German Aerospace Center, the Technical University of Denmark, and the French Space Agency. PRISMA was launched on June 15, 2010 and after three weeks of operations, all on-board systems and units have passed an initial commissioning phase. Separation of the two PRISMA satellites from each other is expected by mid-August 2010.PRISMA consists of two spacecraft: MAIN and TARGET. The MAIN spacecraft has full orbit control capability while TARGET is attitude controlled only.The Swedish Space Corporation is responsible for three groups of guidance, navigation, and control experiments. These experiments include GPS- and vision-based formation flying during which the spacecraft will fly in passive as well as forced motion. The three experiments are: autonomous formation flying, proximity operations with final approach/recede maneuvers, and autonomous rendezvous. This paper presents system test results from two of these experiments as obtained with the flight-ready system. The system tests consist of a series of simulations performed on the flight model spacecraft with a large amount of hardware in the loop.     

Flight demonstration of formation flying capabilities for future missions (NEAT pathfinder)

PRISMA is a demonstration mission for formation-flying and on-orbit-servicing critical technologies that involves two spacecraft launched in low Earth orbit in June 2010 and still in operation. Funded by the Swedish National Space Board, PRISMA mission has been developed by OHB-Sweden (formerly Swedish Space Corporation) with important contributions from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR/GSOC), the French Space Agency (CNES), and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The paper focuses on the last CNES experiment achieved in September 2012 that was devoted to the preparation of future astrometry missions illustrated by the NEAT and µ-NEAT mission concepts. The experiment consisted of performing the type of formation maneuvers required to point the two-satellite axis to a celestial target and maintain it fixed during the observation period. Achieving inertial pointing for a LEO formation represented a new challenge given the numerous constraints from propellant usage to star tracker blinding. The paper presents the experiment objectives in relation with the NEAT/µ-NEAT mission concept, describes its main design features along with the guidance and control algorithms evolutions and discusses the results in terms of performances achieved during the two rehearsals.     

First results of PRECISE—Development of a MEMS-based monopropellant micro chemical propulsion system

PRECISE focuses on the research and development of a MEMS-based monopropellant micro chemical propulsion system for highly accurate attitude control of satellites. The availability of such propulsion systems forms the basis for defining new mission concepts such as formation flying and rendezvous manoeuvres. These concepts require propulsion systems for precise attitude and orbit control manoeuvrability. Application-oriented aspects are addressed by two end-users who are planning a formation flying mission for which the propulsion system is crucial. Basic research is conducted aiming at improving crucial MEMS technologies required for the propulsion system. Research and development also focuses on the efficiency and reliability of critical system components. System analysis tools are enhanced to complement the development stages. Finally, the propulsion system will be tested in a simulated space vacuum environment. These experiments will deliver data for the validation of the numerical models.     

霍尔电推进技术的发展与应用

霍尔电推进具有推力密度大、推力功率比大、比冲高及系统可靠等优点,在20世纪60~70年代突破关键技术、完成空间试验后,在俄、美、欧等航天器上获得大量应用,执行位置保持、轨道转移、轨道调整和深空探测主推进等任务。目前,100 W级到5 k W级功率的霍尔推力器已经实现在轨应用,100 k W功率的霍尔推力器已在研制中。针对未来载人深空探测、GEO卫星、低轨和超低轨卫星及轨道机动飞行器等任务需求,霍尔电推进朝着更大功率包络,更强多模式调节能力,更高性能,更长寿命及推进剂多样化等方向发展。在分析霍尔电推进技术特点和适用任务后,对国内外霍尔电推进技术的发展现状、任务应用等进行了综述,最后对霍尔电推进的发展趋势进行了展望。     

长时间在轨上面级动力系统关键技术研究

上面级动力系统提供用于变轨所需要的动力，同时提供姿态控制、推进剂沉底、末速修正功能所需要的动力，将上面级和北斗导航卫星一起送入预定轨道。回顾了从早期的上面级动力系统选型论证到后续的关键技术攻关过程，对比研究了泵压式与挤压式动力系统的技术优势，分析了动力系统研制过程中的主要关键技术，并对关键技术的应用情况进行了总结，最后提出了长时间在轨上面级动力系统的后续发展建议。     

Lessons from half a century experience of Japanese solid rocketry since Pencil rocket

50 years have passed since a tiny rocket “Pencil” was launched horizontally at Kokubunji near Tokyo in 1955. Though there existed high level of rocket technology in Japan before the end of the second World War, it was not succeeded by the country after the War. Pencil therefore was the substantial start of Japanese rocketry that opened the way to the present stage.In the meantime, a rocket group of the University of Tokyo contributed to the International Geophysical Year in 1957–1958 by developing bigger rockets, and in 1970, the group succeeded in injecting first Japanese satellite OHSUMI into earth orbit. It was just before the launch of OHSUMI that Japan had built up the double feature system of science and applications in space efforts. The former has been pursued by ISAS (the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science) of the University of Tokyo, and the latter by NASDA (National Space Development Agency). This unique system worked quite efficiently because space activities in scientific and applicational areas could develop rather independently without affecting each other.Thus Japan's space science ran up rapidly to the international stage under the support of solid propellant rocket technology, and, after a 20 year technological introduction period from the US, a big liquid propellant launch vehicle, H-II, at last was developed on the basis of Japan's own technology in the early 1990's. On October 1, 2003, as a part of Governmental Reform, three Japanese space agencies were consolidated into a single agency, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Japan's space efforts began to walk toward the future in a globally coordinated fashion, including aeronautics, astronautics, space science, satellite technology, etc., at the same time. This paper surveys the history of Japanese rocketry briefly, and draws out the lessons from it to make a new history of Japan's space efforts more meaningful.     

国外中继卫星对航天器交会对接的测控通信支持

中继卫星系统的天基测控通信是近代航天技术的重大突破,它能够有效地满足航天器交会对接的测控通信需要。文章分析了美国＂跟踪与数据中继卫星系统＂（TDRSS）和欧洲＂阿特米斯＂（ARTEMIS）中继卫星对＂自动转移飞行器＂（ATV）与＂国际空间站＂（ISS）交会对接任务的测控通信支持,总结了国外中继卫星系统支持航天器交会对接...     

国外空间推进技术现状和发展趋势

空间推进技术通常可分为常规化学推进、电推进、微推进和新型推进4大类。常规化学推进是目前航天器的主要推进方式,性能继续提升。电推进已成功证明其优势和可靠性,在各种卫星和深空探测器上大量应用,且朝更宽泛功率的方向发展。蓬勃发展的微小卫星对微小推力、小质量、低功耗的微推进提出了迫切需求。无毒化学推进、太阳帆推进、核推进等新型推进技术正在加紧研制或进行空间飞行试验。首先综述国外卫星和深空探测器等航天器的各类空间推进技术应用和研究现状,然后分析其发展趋势,最后提出对我国空间推进技术的发展建议。     

Closed-loop distance-keeping for long-term satellite cluster flight

Cluster flight is a term used for describing multiple satellites that are being held within pre-defined minimum and maximum distances for long time intervals, possibly the entire mission. This technology is required for a myriad of space architectures and missions, including disaggregated space architectures. Whereas the literature is abundant with works on control laws for satellite formation flying, there are only a handful of works on control of cluster flight. The purpose of the current work is to develop a cluster flight control algorithm, which is able to keep the satellites of the cluster within pre-specified minimum and maximum distances, while utilizing small amounts of propellant. The newly developed algorithm relies on the natural inter-satellite distance dynamics. The algorithm incorporates realistic mission constraints, such as constant-magnitude thrust, and is implemented in feedback form, steering the mean elements to judiciously selected reference values. Simulations indicate that a few tens of grams of propellent are sufficient for operating a cluster flight mission in excess of 1 year, using low specific-impulse thrusters.     

25 YEARS OF SPACE AT SURREY—PIONEERING MODERN MICROSATELLITES

Space at Surrey has developed over 25 years from very modest beginnings in 1974 to an international space centre by 1998. It has pioneered small satellites and succeeded in launching 14 low cost but sophisticated microsatellites over the course of two decades. In the 1990s, small satellites have become fashionable—but this was not always so! This paper describes the 25 years history of “Space at Surrey”.     

非合作空间目标自主交会凸优化制导技术

为解决非合作空间目标机动、自旋、章动等动态特性对自主交会过程带来的困难和挑战，在某飞行器姿轨控一体化推进系统配置的基础上，充分考虑各类约束后构建标准的凸优化自主交会数学模型；着重分析了非合作目标动态特性对制导误差的影响，设计相应的修正策略；以原始对偶内点法作为核心求解器，设计了具备状态预测和更新能力的制导算法；数学仿真验算表明，该方法合理可行，克服了动态特性造成的接近轨迹偏差，良好地适应了非合作交会任务。     

航天器编队飞行和空间演示验证技术——有人照料空间实验室与平动-转动物理仿真器

航天器编队飞行是近年来国内外航天领域研究的热点问题,同时也是空间技术今后一个重要发展方向。为此文章首先讨论航天器编队飞行特点;其次研究编队飞行今后能否获得顺利成功应用,有关它的各种算法和软件空间飞行演示验证技术和方法;最后介绍了美国麻省理工学院空间系统实验室（MITSSL）对航天器编队飞行算法软件空间演示验证的方法和实验。     

Early commercial demonstration of space solar power using ultra-lightweight arrays

Space solar power shows great promise for future energy sources worldwide. Most central power stations operate with power capacity of 1000 MW or greater. Due to launch size limitations and specific power of current, rigid solar arrays, the largest solar arrays that have flown in space are around 50 kW. Thin-film arrays offer the promise of much higher specific power and deployment of array sizes up to several MW with current launch vehicles. An approach to early commercial applications for space solar power to distribute power to charge hand-held, mobile battery systems by wireless power transmission (WPT) from thin-film solar arrays in quasi-stationary orbits will be presented. Four key elements to this prototype will be discussed: (1) Space and near-space testing of prototype wireless power transmission by laser and microwave components including WPT space to space and WPT space to near-space HAA transmission demonstrations; (2) distributed power source for recharging hand-held batteries by wireless power transmission from MW space solar power systems; (3) use of quasi-geostationary satellites to generate electricity and distribute it to targeted areas; and (4) architecture and technology for ultra-lightweight thin-film solar arrays with specific energy exceeding 1 kW/kg. This approach would yield flight demonstration of space solar power and wireless power transmission of 1.2 MW. This prototype system will be described, and a roadmap will be presented that will lead to still higher power levels.     

国外卫星推进技术发展现状与未来20年发展趋势

新形势下航天技术的发展对推进技术提出了更高的要求,无论在技术的广度和深度上都是前所未有的,如15年以上静止轨道卫星和8年以上低轨道卫星对高性能长寿命推进系统的要求、电推进技术的应用、微小卫星轨道保持的应用和深空探测对先进推进技术的依赖等。本文从先进化学推进技术、电推进技术、微推进技术和新概念推进技术4个方面分析了国外卫星推进技术的发展状况,总结了未来20年卫星推进技术的发展趋势,给出了对我国今后技术发展的启示。     

Low cost planetary exploration: surrey lunar minisatellite and interplanetary platform missions

In order to meet the growing global requirement for affordable missions beyond Low Earth Orbit, two types of platform are under design at the Surrey Space Centre. The first platform is a derivative of Surrey's UoSAT-12 minisatellite, launched in April 1999 and operating successfully in-orbit. The minisatellite has been modified to accommodate a propulsion system capable of delivering up to 1700 m/s delta-V, enabling it to support a wide range of very low cost missions to LaGrange points, Near-Earth Objects, and the Moon. A mission to the Moon - dubbed “MoonShine” - is proposed as the first demonstration of the modified minisatellite beyond LEO. The second platform - Surrey's Interplanetary Platform - has been designed to support missions with delta-V requirements up to 3200 m/s, making it ideal for low cost missions to Mars and Venus, as well as Near Earth Objects (NEOs) and other interplanetary trajectories. Analysis has proved mission feasibility, identifying key challenges in both missions for developing cost-effective techniques for: spacecraft propulsion; navigation; autonomous operations; and a reliable safe mode strategy. To reduce mission risk, inherently failure resistant lunar and interplanetary trajectories are under study. In order to significantly reduce cost and increase reliability, both platforms can communicate with low-cost ground stations and exploit Surrey's experience in autonomous operations. The lunar minisatellite can provide up to 70 kg payload margin in lunar orbit for a total mission cost US$16–25 M. The interplanetary platform can deliver 20 kg of scientific payload to Mars or Venus orbit for a mission cost US$25–50 M. Together, the platforms will enable regular flight of payloads to the Moon and interplanetary space at unprecedented low cost. This paper outlines key systems engineering issues for the proposed Lunar Minisatellite and interplanetary Platform Missions, and describes the accommodation and performance offered to planetary payloads.     

烃类推进剂航天动力技术进展与展望未来

为研究烃类推进剂航天动力技术在中国的后续发展和未来应用方向,对比分析煤油、甲烷和丙烷等典型烃类推进剂的物理化学性质和应用特性,简要介绍烃类推进剂航天动力在一次性运载火箭、可重复使用运载器、高性能上面级推进、无毒空间推进和吸气式推进领域的发展动态及应用状况。当前国内外航天动力系统的发展和应用情况表明,以液氧煤油发动机和液氧甲烷发动机为代表的烃类推进剂航天动力将引领未来高性能低成本航天推进系统的发展趋势,依照中国液氧/烃火箭发动机的研制进展和技术水平,以其为核心的新型动力体系在中国未来的天地往返、载人登月和深空探测等多任务适应性方面具有良好应用前景。     

双组元统一推进系统优化改进技术进展

不断提高推进剂在轨管理效率,是应用卫星对推进系统的基本要求,也是推进系统的重要发展方向。推进剂剩余量在轨高精度测量和并联贮箱均衡排放主动控制,是提高推进剂在轨管理效率的重要技术手段。针对我国SAST-5000卫星平台双组元统一推进系统,开展了气体注入压力激励方法的关键技术攻关,并取得重要进展。研究结果表明：改良型气体注入压力激励法的推进剂剩余量在轨测量精度达到-0.68%-0.66%,并联贮箱均衡排放控制措施将被动调节的不均衡度控制在优于1.13%,主动纠偏措施还可进一步提高并联贮箱排放推进剂的同步性。     

推进系统并联贮箱均衡排放性能及其控制措施

推进系统在工作过程中,贮箱排放的不均衡性将引起飞行器质心偏移,产生干扰力矩。对空间推进系统并联工作的金属膜片贮箱均衡排放的影响因素进行了分析,结合均衡排放的控制措施对某型号推进系统工作过程中的排放不均衡量进行了预计,并与飞行试验结果进行了比对。飞行试验结果表明控制措施可行、有效。     

基于氢化镁的核电/核热双模共质空间核动力技术

针对未来空间任务对能源和动力日益提高的需求,提出了基于氢化镁的核电核热双模共质空间核动力技术。该技术以一种储氢密度高、热稳定性较好,能够以常温常压储存的氢化镁作为工质,通过核能加热后氢化镁分解成为核热推进可用的高压氢气和电推进可用的单质镁,并结合高效动态热电转换系统,形成大功率核电源、大功率超高比冲核电推进、高比冲氢气核热推进以及大推力镁核热推进多种工作模式。基于氢化镁的多模共质空间核动力技术解决了低温推进剂、气态工质在空间应用时的存储安全性和存储密度低的问题,其具备的多种工作模式能够针对不同任务需求提供相应的能源或者动力输出,提高核动力飞行器任务能力。