Uncontrollable Rotational Motion of the Mir Orbital Station

The results of determining the rotational motion of the Mir orbital station are presented for four long segments of its unmanned uncontrolled flight in 1999–2000. The determination was carried out using the data of onboard measurements of the Earth's magnetic field intensity. These data, taken for a time interval of several hours, were jointly processed by the least squares method with the help of integration of the equations of station motion relative to its center of mass. As a result of this processing, the initial conditions of motion and the parameters of the mathematical model used were evaluated. The technique of processing is verified using the telemetry data on angular velocity of the station and its attitude parameters. Two types of motion were applied on the investigated segments. One of them (three segments) presents a rotation around the axis of the minimum moment of inertia. This axis executes small oscillations with respect to a normal to the orbit plane. Such a motion was used for the first time on domestic manned orbital complexes. The second type of motion begins with a biaxial rotation which, in a few weeks, goes over into a motion very similar to the rotation around the normal to the orbit plane, but around the axis of the maximum moment of inertia.     

Determination of parameters of rotational motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monitor-E</Emphasis> spacecraft from the telemetry data on solar batteries’ current

The Monitor-E spacecraft executed uncontrolled flight due to emergency situation, no telemetry information on parameters of the spacecraft’s attitude motion being available. So, the problem arose to determine the spacecraft’s rotational motion from the accessible indirect information—the electric current provided by solar batteries. In this paper the integrated statistical technique is described, that allows one to solve this problem. The values of current, obtained over the time interval some tens of minutes long, have been processed simultaneously by the least squares method using the integration of the equations of spacecraft’s rotational motion. As a result of processing, the initial conditions of motion were estimated, and the spacecraft’s moments of inertia were updated, as well as the angles, specifying solar batteries position in the spacecraft-fixed coordinate system. The results of processing of 12 data sets are presented, which allowed us to reconstruct the actual rotational motion of the spacecraft.     

Estimating the accuracy of the technique of reconstructing the rotational motion of a satellite based on the measurements of its angular velocity and the magnetic field of the Earth

The paper has studied the accuracy of the technique that allows the rotational motion of the Earth artificial satellites (AES) to be reconstructed based on the data of onboard measurements of angular velocity vectors and the strength of the Earth magnetic field (EMF). The technique is based on kinematic equations of the rotational motion of a rigid body. Both types of measurement data collected over some time interval have been processed jointly. The angular velocity measurements have been approximated using convenient formulas, which are substituted into the kinematic differential equations for the quaternion that specifies the transition from the body-fixed coordinate system of a satellite to the inertial coordinate system. Thus obtained equations represent a kinematic model of the rotational motion of a satellite. The solution of these equations, which approximate real motion, has been found by the least-square method from the condition of best fitting between the data of measurements of the EMF strength vector and its calculated values. The accuracy of the technique has been estimated by processing the data obtained from the board of the service module of the International Space Station (ISS). The reconstruction of station motion using the aforementioned technique has been compared with the telemetry data on the actual motion of the station. The technique has allowed us to reconstruct the station motion in the orbital orientation mode with a maximum error less than 0.6° and the turns with a maximal error of less than 1.2°.     

Stability-based SDRE controller for spacecraft momentum management

Momentum management of spacecraft aims to avoid the angular momentum accumulation of control momentum gyros through real-time attitude adjustment. An attitude control/momentum management controller based on state-dependent Riccati equation is developed for attitude-stabilized spacecraft. The governing equations of the system are formulated as three-axis coupled with full moment of inertia, which fully capture the nonlinearity of the system and are valid for systems with significant products of inertia or strong pitch to roll/yaw coupling. The state-dependent Riccati equation algorithm brings the nonlinear system to a linear structure having state dependent coefficients matrices and minimizing a quadratic-like performance index. The system equations are nondimensionalized, which avoid numerical problems at the same time make the weighting matrix more predictable. To guarantee closed-loop system stability, the state-dependent Riccati equation algorithm is also modified based on pole placement technique. The state-dependent Riccati equation is online calculated through the computational-efficient θ-D technique which reaches a tradeoff between control optimality and computation load. The dynamic characteristics of the system at torque equilibrium attitude are analyzed. Constraints on moment of inertia for successful momentum management are provided. Simulations demonstrate the excellent performance of the controller.     

某大结构变化空间飞行器转动惯量在轨估计

针对某空间飞行器在轨运行时转动惯量变化大的特点,对其转动惯量的在轨估计方法进行了研究。基于姿态动力学模型建立状态方程,用陀螺测得的角速度、推力标称值和推力作用点的位置信息构造量测,用最小二乘法估计转动惯量。仿真结果证明了算法的有效性,误差小于5%。估计算法计算简单,估计时间和所用燃料消耗少,工程上易于实现。     

Determination of the Quasistatic Component of Microaccelerations at the MirStation

We describe the determination of the quasistatic component of microaccelerations, as it was done during the space experiments with the instruments DACON and ALICE-2. This component was calculated using the telemetric information related to the motion of the station with respect to its center of mass. The information consists of the values of the station angular velocity vector and the quaternion which specifies its orientation, determined at discrete instants of time. The quaternion is determined with a step of about 1 min, the angular velocity with a step of about 10 s. The information is used in the following manner. At first, the quaternion components corresponding to some time interval are smoothed by splines. Then, employing the obtained splines and kinematic equations, the angular velocity and acceleration of the station are calculated on this interval. Finally, the microacceleration is calculated as a function of time at the point of the location of the instrument. The data of measurements of the angular velocity are used for the purpose of control. As a rule, the available telemetric information allows one to find the quasi-static component for the entire time interval of carrying out the experiment. Examples of determination of this component for some experiments are presented. A comparison with the results of calculating the microacceleration quasistatic component by other methods is made.     

一种使用磁力矩器管理双自旋航天器角动量的方法

针对一种新型采用双自旋设计进行对地遥感任务的航天器，提出了一种使用磁力矩器对旋转载荷角动量进行管理的方法。使用旋转载荷固连正交安装的三只磁力矩器，在旋转过程中连续输出周期性变化的磁矩，使自转一周过程中产生的合角动量方向仅沿自转轴方向，避免在其他两轴方向产生角动量累积。该方法在工程上可行性好，仿真结果表明旋转载荷角动量持续保持在期望值附近，不随时间累加。     

Orbital and angular motion construction for low thrust interplanetary flight

Low thrust interplanetary flight is considered. Firstly, the fuel-optimal control is found. Then the angular motion is synthesized. This motion provides the thruster tracking of the required by optimal control direction. And, finally, reaction wheel control law for tracking this angular motion is proposed and implemented. The numerical example is given and total operation time for thrusters is found. Disturbances from solar pressure, thrust eccentricity, inaccuracy of reaction wheels installation and errors of inertia tensor are taken into account.     

含固定转速驱动电机的挠性卫星自旋稳定性分析

分析一类含驱动电机挠性卫星的自旋稳定性,应用不变集定理证明了系统轨迹收敛于系统平衡点集,并通过构造正定的单调递减的类能量函数来判断各平衡点的稳定性质。获得的结论包括：由于挠性振动阻尼特性,在无外扰力矩作用时,含固定转速驱动电机的挠性卫星存在稳定的自旋;不含驱动电机的挠性卫星,稳定的自旋轴为其最大主惯量轴;驱动电机可改变挠性卫星的自旋轴,给出了稳定的自旋轴与电机转速方向夹角公式,该夹角为锐角;当电机转动角动量幅值远小于系统角动量时,稳定自旋轴接近最大主惯量轴;电机转动角动量幅值越接近系统角动量,稳定自旋轴越接近电机转动方向。文中也给出了稳定自旋轴平行电机转轴的条件。     

Study of singular surfaces of systems of unsupported gyrodynes by the parameter continuation method

A system of two-degree-of-freedom force gyroscopes (gyrodynes) is considered to be used for spacecraft attitude control. Possible values of its total angular momentum form some finite region P in the frame of reference rigidly connected with the spacecraft. Near the boundary of this region and singular surfaces located inside it the control of the angular momentum is complicated or impossible. The program angular momentum of the gyrodynes, realizing the law of variation of the spacecraft orientation, should lie inside P and outside some singular surfaces, and due to this fact the boundary and internal singular surfaces should be studied. This work is dedicated to the numerical construction of region P and its internal singular surfaces by the method of parameter continuation. Using the results by E.N. Tokar’ we formalize sufficient conditions which in some cases allow one to determine the type of the singular surface. As an example, a system of six gyrodynes is considered, for which the regions of variations of the intrinsic angular momentum and singular surfaces are constructed. The possibilities of the system are demonstrated for the case when one gyrodyne fails.     

Nanosatellite <Emphasis Type="Italic">REFLECTOR</Emphasis>: Choice of parameters of the attitude control system

We consider methodological and applied problems of choosing parameters and developing a passive gravity-gradient attitude control system for the REFLECTOR nanosatellite. The attitude control system consists of appropriately distributed satellite mass and additional masses forming the required tensor of inertia, as well as of a set of hysteresis rods manufactured from a magnetically soft material. The combination of these elements allows one, independent of the satellite’s initial angular motion, to maintain its three-axial orientation in the orbital coordinate system with preset performance in precision and fast response. The satellite’s dynamics is investigated using asymptotic and numerical methods. The problems of arrangement of the additional masses and hysteresis rods are discussed, as well as their interaction with magnetizable elements.     

Determination of the Attitude Motion of a Satellite Based on a Kinematical Model of Motion and Using Data of Measurements of Its Angular Velocity and the Earth’s Magnetic Field Strength

An integral statistical procedure of determination of the attitude motion of a satellite using the data of onboard measurements of angular velocity vectors and the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field (EMF) is suggested. The procedure uses only the equations of kinematics of a solid body and is applicable to determining both controlled and uncontrollable motions of a satellite at any external mechanical moments acting upon it. When applying this procedure, the data of measurements of both types, accumulated during a certain interval of time, are processed jointly. The data of measuring the angular velocity are smoothed by discrete Fourier series, and these series are substituted into kinematical Poisson equations for elements of the matrix of transition from a satellite-fixed coordinate system to the orbital coordinate system. The equations thus obtained represent a kinematical model of the satellite motion. The solution to these equations (which approximate the actual motion of a satellite) is found from the condition of the best (in the sense of the least squares method) fit of the data of measuring the EMF strength vector to its calculated values. The results of testing the suggested procedure using the data of measurements of the angular velocity vectors onboard the Foton-12 satellite and measurements of EMF strengths are presented.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 4, 2005, pp. 295–305.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Abrashkin, Volkov, Voronov, Egorov, Kazakova, Pankratov, Sazonov, Semkin.     

控制力矩陀螺群奇异角动量超曲面仿真分析

用角动量超曲面仿真分析了控制力矩陀螺构型奇异的产生机理。基于控制力矩陀螺群动力学总角动量和输出控制力矩,讨论了典型构型奇异存在的状况,并确定了奇异点存在的判断依据,对五棱锥构型的显奇异和隐奇异进行了角动量超曲面仿真,发现能通过零运动脱离奇异状态的隐奇异点,为控制力矩陀螺群的操纵律设计提供了重要依据。控制系统数学仿真结果表明该分析法有效。     

Determination of characteristic frequencies of elastic oscillations of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">International Space Station</Emphasis> construction

The results of investigating free oscillations of the International Space Station construction appearing during spacecraft docking and undocking are described. The study is carried out using the measurement data of the low-frequency MAMS accelerometer. Several intervals of measurements performed in 2005 and 2006 were chosen to be studied. For chosen intervals, only the data intervals corresponding to the process of free attenuation of the oscillations construction elements were analyzed. Characteristic frequencies of elastic oscillations of the station construction and attenuation coefficients corresponding to them are found. The comparative analysis of the results obtained for various docking ports (nodes) is carried out. The described study is performed as a part of the technical experiment “The ISS Environment” carried out onboard the station in accordance with the Russian program of scientific and engineering experiments.     

Determination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Foton M-2</Emphasis> satellite attitude motion by the data of microacceleration measurements

The results of reconstruction of uncontrolled attitude motion of the Foton M-2 satellite using measurements with the accelerometer TAS-3 are presented. The attitude motion of this satellite has been previously determined by the measurement data of the Earth’s magnetic field and the angular velocity. The TAS-3 data for this purpose are used for the first time. These data contain a well-pronounced additional component which made impossible their direct employment for the reconstruction of the attitude motion and whose origin was unknown several years ago. Later it has become known that the additional component is caused by the influence of the Earth’s magnetic field. The disclosure of this fact allowed us to take into account a necessary correction in processing of TAS-3 data and to use them for the reconstruction of the attitude motion of Foton M-2. Here, a modified method of processing TAS-3 data is described, as well as results of its testing and employing. The testing consisted in the direct comparison of the motion reconstructed by the new method with the motion constructed by the magnetic measurements. The new method allowed us to find the actual motion of Foton M-2 in the period June 9, 2005–June 14, 2005, when no magnetic measurements were carried out.     

Measurement of Vibration Microaccelerations onboard the Mir Orbital Station Using the VM-09 System of Accelerometers

The results of processing the data of measurements of microaccelerations, carried out onboard the Mir orbital station using the Russian VM-09 system of accelerometers, are described. The system was developed by the Composite Research-Production Association. The sensitivity of this system was 10^–4 m/s²; its frequency band had limits from a few tenths of a hertz up to 100 Hz. The measurements were carried out in the real-time mode of data transmission to the Earth, when the orbital station flew over the telemetry data receiving point. The instrument's sampling rate was 200 measurements per second, and the length of a continuous run of measurements did not exceed 10 min. The following problems are considered in the paper: (1) isolation of cyclic trends from the measurement data; (2) estimation of spectral density of the data component with a continuous spectrum; and (3) low-frequency filtration of the measurement data     

Processing the data of measurements of angular velocity and microaccelerations onboard the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Foton-12</Emphasis> satellite

The results of reconstruction of uncontrolled rotational motion of the Foton-12 satellite using the measurement data of onboard sensors are presented. This problem has already been solved successfully several years ago. The satellite motion was reconstructed using the data of measuring the Earth’s magnetic field. The data of measuring the angular velocity and microaccelerations by the QSAM system were actually not used for this purpose, since these data include a clearly seen additional component whose origin was at that time unclear. This component prevented one from using these data directly for reconstruction of the angular motion. Later it became clear that the additional component was caused by the Earth’s magnetic field. Discovery of this fact allowed us to make necessary corrections when processing the QSAM system data and to use them for reconstruction of rotational motion of Foton-12. Below, a modified method of processing the QSAM system data is described together with the results of its application. The main result is obtained by comparing the motion reconstructed from measurements of angular velocity or acceleration with that found by way of processing the measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field. Their coincidence turned out to be rather accurate.     

空间机器人抓取未知目标的质量特性参数辨识

根据动量守恒定理,研究了单臂自由飘浮空间机器人抓取未知目标的质量特性参数辨识问题。已有文献中基于动量守恒原理进行的参数辨识只适用于系统线动量和角动量为零的情况,当两者不为零时无法得到正确的辨识结果。为解决此问题,本文首先在惯性系而非本体系下推导得到了机械臂抓取未知目标后的系统线动量和角动量,保证了其各分量的守恒特性。然后基于此特性,通过在轨测量两个时刻机器人本体的线速度、角速度以及机械臂各关节的角速度和转角信息,建立了含有未知目标质量特性参数的动量增量方程。最后根据三组测量信息,从联立的动量增量方程组中求解得到未知目标的质量特性参数。数值仿真表明,此方法在系统线动量和角动量为零和不为零两种情况下都能实现高精度的参数辨识,同时还避免了方程求解的奇异问题。     

Overview of scientific payloads onboard the KSR-III rocket

The Korea Sounding Rocket-III (KSR-III) was successfully launched on November 28, 2002 from the west coast of the Korean Peninsula. The science payload onboard the KSR-III included an ozone detector and two magnetometers along with other various sensors installed to measure physical characteristics such as temperature, pressure, strain, and acceleration. The main objective of KSR-III was to evaluate the liquid propulsion engine system which has been newly adopted in the KSR series. In addition to this main objective, the science payload conducted atmospheric soundings. The payload data were transmitted to the ground station in real time by an onboard telemetry system. The UV radiometer measured the direct solar UV radiation and during the ascending phase the vertical ozone density profile was obtained. This result was compared with coincident measurements taken by other satellites, a ground station, and an ozonesonde. A fluxgate-type magnetometer was onboard the KSR-III to observe the Earth's DC magnetic field and for AC field measurements, a search-coil magnetometer was installed. This was the first Korean mission to use magnetometers on a rocket-borne platform to measure the Earth's magnetic field. Using the telemetry magnetometer data, a study on the rocket attitude was carried out. This paper will give an overview of the design, calibration, and test results of the science payload onboard the KSR-III.