星间测距对小卫星编队相对轨道状态的修正

相对轨道状态确定是小卫星编队正常工作的基础和重要保障.针对小型化、低成本的星载GPS接收机定轨精度较低的情况,提出一种利用单纯星间测距信息对卫星编队相对轨道进行修正的方法.引入星间测距信息,采用扩展卡尔曼滤波算法提高编队的相对轨道估计精度.通过仿真验证,证实了该方案的有效性.     

基于约化相对轨道拟平根数的长期稳定高精度卫星编队导航技术

针对基于星间相对测量的相对导航算法中由测量方程将相对轨道拟平根数转化为相对位置过程导致的模型非线性,提出一种基于约化相对轨道拟平根数的卫星编队导航方法.该方法通过编队卫星之间一段时间的切向漂移估计半长轴偏差,合理处理半长轴偏差对双星相对动力学的影响,克服了模型线性化造成的误差,能够实现长期稳定的高精度卫星编队导航.     

EKF/UKF在编队飞行卫星GPS相对导航中的应用

 　航天器编队飞行协调工作,必须精确确定各航天器的相对位置和相对速度,即进行编队飞行相对导航。将扩展卡尔曼滤波(EKF,extended Kalman filter)和非线性滤波unscented Kalman filter(UKF)算法同时应用于编队飞行卫星的载波相位差分GPS相对导航。EKF与UKF算法原理不同,UKF算法的精度比EKF的精度高。在实际应用中,可以将两种算法组成互为备份的相对导航滤波器,这样可提高滤波系统冗余性能。     

基于对偶四元数的编队飞行卫星相对位姿描述

为统一描述编队飞行卫星中主从星的相对位置和姿态参数,利用对偶四元数,建立编队飞行卫星运动学模型,分析其物理意义,提出了基于对偶四元数的编队飞行卫星相对位姿描述的划船算法,并利用这一算法解算出相对位置和姿态参数,突破了传统方法中将卫星轨道和姿态分而治之的方式。仿真结果表明该算法科学合理,能够有效描述编队飞行卫星间的相对位置和姿态。     

采用无线电单独测量的编队卫星相对轨道自主确定

在实际工程应用中,编队卫星由于任务的要求使得部分测量设备(例如,激光设备)不可用,这就造成系统的观测性下降。文章将条件数应用于编队卫星系统的可观测度的定量计算;并针对编队卫星进行轨道机动时仅采用无线电进行测量的工况,采用强跟踪离散卡尔曼滤波(UKF)算法进行仿真计算。仿真结果表明该方法具有很强的跟踪能力,并且鲁棒性、稳定性和精度与常规UKF算法相当。     

卫星编队飞行有限时间控制方法

针对卫星编队飞行相对位置控制问题,提出了一种有限时间控制方法.首先,建立了编队卫星相对运动的非线性动力学方程.其次,设计了有限时间快速收敛的滑模面,提出了一种有限时间控制方法,该方法能保证闭环控制系统的全局稳定性和快速收敛性,并给出了理论证明.最后,将提出的方法应用于卫星编队飞行维持控制.仿真结果表明该方法在收敛时间和控制精度方面均优于传统线性滑模控制和终端滑模控制.     

分布式SAR超分辨成像的卫星编队构形优化设计方法

编队构形设计是分布式卫星系统总体设计的关键问题,提出了一种编队构形优化设计方法。针对主星带辅星群体制分布式合成孔径雷达(SAR)超分辨率任务,从优化系统效能的角度出发,将满足超分辨性能的时间比率和分辨率改善因子作为编队构形优化设计的目标函数,以基线矢量为中间变量,建立了目标函数与编队卫星轨道根数的关系,并采用遗传算法求解。对不同卫星数目的编队系统进行了优化设计仿真,并与干涉车轮和钟摆编队构形方案进行了分析比较,数值结果验证了该优化设计方法的有效性和正确性。该设计方法还可改变优化目标函数,以适应用户的任务要求。     

卫星编队飞行的相对轨道自主确定研究

为了研究卫星编队飞行相对轨道的自主确定,基于相对轨道根数建立编队卫星间的相对运动方程,利用测量所得到的星间距离和方位信息作为观测量。不同于目前广泛采用的扩展卡尔曼滤波算法,设计Unscented Kalman Filter(UKF)算法实现卫星编队飞行的相对轨道自主确定。仿真结果表明这种相对轨道自主确定方案能获得较高的定轨精度。     

微小卫星编队飞行解析构型维持控制方法

编队构型维持是卫星编队飞行的基础.J2摄动和大气阻力是影响近地轨道卫星编队构型的主要摄动力,通常导致星间相对速度的长期变化,从而造成编队构型发生漂移.本文针对近地轨道卫星编队飞行,基于平均化的思想,采用平均相对速度表示编队构型漂移率,推导了平均相对速度与脉冲速度增量之间的解析表达式.通过引入平均相对加速度,将摄动力下的相对运动等效为匀变速直线运动.将其与单边极限环控制方法结合,提出一种基于星间测距信息的解析构型维持控制策略.仿真结果表明,该解析算法简单有效,易于工程实现,尤其适合微小卫星的星间自主控制.      

多星对合作目标的分布式协同导航滤波算法

针对多颗在轨卫星对空间合作目标的协同导航问题,提出了一种适用于协同导航的分布式球面单形-径向容积求积分卡尔曼滤波（DSSRCQKF）算法。为了计算非线性滤波中的高斯加权积分,分别使用球面单形准则和二阶高斯-拉盖尔求积分准则计算球面积分和径向积分,提出了一种新的球面单形-径向容积求积分准则。将该准则嵌入分布式卡尔曼滤波框架中,结合协同导航的非线性数学模型,给出适用于协同导航的DSSRCQKF算法,该算法要求每颗导航星仅与其邻居星进行通信,通过数据的分布式融合实现对目标星轨道状态的一致估计,从而避免了传统集中式处理中较高的通信和计算压力。仿真实验结果表明,与分布式卡尔曼滤波相比,本文算法将对合作目标的实时定位精度提高了11 m,定速精度提高了0.02 m/s,从而验证了本文算法的有效性。      

Learning in an immersive digital theater

The Houston Museum of Natural Science, in collaboration with Rice University has an outreach program taking portable digital theaters to schools and community sites for over five years and has conducted research on student learning in this immersive environment. By using an external independent evaluator, the effectiveness of NASA-funded Education and Public Outreach (EPO) projects can be assessed. This paper documents interactive techniques and learning strategies in full-dome digital theaters. The presentation is divided into Evaluation Strategies and Results and Interactivity Strategies and Results. All learners from grades 3–12 showed statistically significant short-term increase in knowledge of basic Earth science concepts after a single 22-min show. Improvements were more significant on items that were taught using more than one modality of instruction: hearing, seeing, discussion, and immersion. Thus immersive theater can be an effective as well as engaging teaching method for Earth and Space science concepts, particularly those that are intrinsically three-dimensional and thus most effectively taught in an immersive environment. The portable system allows taking the educational experience to rural and tribal sites where the underserved students could not afford the time or expense to travel to museums.     

Scaling analysis and model estimation of solar corona index

A monthly average solar green coronal index time series for the period from January 1939 to December 2008 collected from NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has been analysed in this paper in perspective of scaling analysis and modelling. Smoothed and de-noising have been done using suitable mother wavelet as a pre-requisite. The Finite Variance Scaling Method (FVSM), Higuchi method, rescaled range (R/S) and a generalized method have been applied to calculate the scaling exponents and fractal dimensions of the time series. Autocorrelation function (ACF) is used to find autoregressive (AR) process and Partial autocorrelation function (PACF) has been used to get the order of AR model. Finally a best fit model has been proposed using Yule-Walker Method with supporting results of goodness of fit and wavelet spectrum. The results reveal an anti-persistent, Short Range Dependent (SRD), self-similar property with signatures of non-causality, non-stationarity and nonlinearity in the data series. The model shows the best fit to the data under observation.     

Stochastic particle acceleration by the forced interaction of relativistic current sheets

We address the problem of interacting relativistic current sheets in self-consistent kinetic plasma simulations within the framework of the Particle-In-Cell model. The interaction is enforced in head-on collisions of up to 10 current sheets at relativistic bulk speeds. The simulations are motivated by the general problem of Poynting flux dissipation in ‘striped wind’ configurations presumably governing the relativistic outflows pervasive in pulsar winds and gamma-ray bursts. We identify the generation of non-thermal particles and formation of a stable power-law shape in the particle energy distributions f(γ) dγ ∝ γ^−s dγ. In 1D, a spectral index s ∼ 2 is observed and attributed to a stochastic Fermi-type acceleration mechanism. In 2D, the generic index of s ∼ 3–4 is retained as in previous simulations of individual current sheets. Whereas in 2D the high energy cut-off is constrained by the limited dissipation of magnetic energy, in 1D the process converts the bulk motion of current sheets towards directed particle momentum of an exclusive class of non-thermal particles.     

Development of a gas chromatography compatible Sample Processing System (SPS) for the in-situ analysis of refractory organic matter in martian soil: preliminary results

In the frame of the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission a new sample preparation system (SPS) compatible with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) has been developed for the in situ analysis of complex organic molecules in the Martian soil. The goal is to detect, if they exist, some of the key compounds that play an important role in life on Earth including carboxylic acids, amino acids and nucleobases.     

基于LuGre模型的电液加载系统摩擦补偿

为了提高电液加载系统控制精度,针对摩擦问题提出了基于LuGre摩擦模型的前馈补偿方法.建立了用于摩擦仿真分析和补偿器设计的电液加载系统数学模型;通过实验获取并分析了相关的摩擦数据;基于实验数据进行LuGre模型参数辨识,把LuGre模型和辨识结果引入电液加载系统数学模型,并进行仿真结果与实际摩擦数据的对照,证明了LuGre摩擦模型的准确性.设计前馈补偿器,进行了实验对比,实验结果表明前馈补偿器可将摩擦产生的控制误差有效地降至未补偿时的30%左右.      

Concept options for the aerial survey of Titan

Various aerial platforms intended for long endurance survey of the Titan surface are presented. A few novel concepts are introduced, including a heated methane balloon and a balloon with a tethered wind turbine. All the concept options are predicted to have lower scientific payload fractions than the Huygens probe. It is concluded that the selection of the best aerial platform option depends on more accurate mass estimates and a clear decision on whether, or not, in situ surface composition measurements are required in conjunction with aerial remote sensing.     

Heterogeneous solid/gas chemistry of organic compounds related to comets,meteorites, Titan,and Mars: Laboratory and in lower Earth orbit experiments

To understand the evolution of organic molecules involved in extraterrestrial environments and with exobiological implications, many experimental programs in the laboratory are devoted to photochemical studies in the gaseous phase as well as in the solid state. The validity of such studies and their applications to extraterrestrial environments can be questioned as long as experiments conducted in space conditions, with the full solar spectrum, especially in the short wavelength domain, have not been implemented. The experiments that are described here will be carried out on a FOTON capsule, using the BIOPAN facility, and on the International Space Station, using the EXPOSE facility. Vented and sealed exposition cells will be used, which will allow us to study the chemical evolution in the gaseous phase as well as heterogeneous processes, such as the degradation of solid compounds and the release of gaseous fragments.     

CoRoT and Kepler results: Solar-like oscillators

The space-borne observatories CoRoT (Convection Rotation and planetary Transits) and Kepler have provided photometric time series data of unprecedented precision for large numbers of stars. These data have revolutionized the fields of transiting exoplanets and asteroseismology. In this review some important asteroseismic results obtained using data from the CoRoT and Kepler space missions concerning stars that show solar-like oscillations are discussed. These results comprise, among others, measurements of the location of the base of the convection zone and helium second-ionization zone in main-sequence stars, the presence (or not) of core-helium burning in red-giant stars, as well as differential rotation in these stars.     

Return to Europa: Overview of the Jupiter Europa orbiter mission

Missions to explore Europa have been imagined ever since the Voyager mission first suggested that Europa was geologically very young. Subsequently, the Galileo spacecraft supplied fascinating new insights into this satellite of Jupiter. Now, an international team is proposing a return to the Jupiter system and Europa with the Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM). Currently, NASA and ESA are designing two orbiters that would explore the Jovian system and then each would settle into orbit around one of Jupiter’s icy satellites, Europa and Ganymede. In addition, the Japanese Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) is considering a Jupiter magnetospheric orbiter and the Russian Space Agency is investigating a Europa lander.     

HELIO: The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory

Heliophysics is a new research field that explores the Sun–Solar System Connection; it requires the joint exploitation of solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric and ionospheric observations.