Orbital stability of planar oscillations of a satellite in a circular orbit

We consider the attitude motion of a satellite with a circular orbit in a central Newtonian gravitational field. The satellite is a solid body whose mass geometry is that of a plate. A nonlinear analysis is made of orbital stability of planar oscillations of the satellite at which its middle or major axis of inertia is perpendicular to the orbit plane. At small amplitudes of oscillations the analysis of stability was made analytically, while for arbitrary amplitudes the numerical analysis was performed.     

Design of satellite constellations with continuous coverage on elliptic orbits of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Molniya</Emphasis> type

New methods of choosing the structures of satellite constellations (SC) on elliptical orbits of the Molniya type are presented. The methods, using critical inclination and putting the orbit apogee in the Earth’s hemisphere with an area of continuous coverage, are based on geometrical analysis of two-dimensional representation of the coverage conditions and SC motion in the space of inertial longitude of the orbit ascending node and time. The coverage conditions are represented in the form of a certain region. Dynamics of all satellites in this space is represented by uniform motion along a straight line approximately parallel to the ordinate axis, while the satellite system forms a grid. The problem of choosing a minimal (as far as the number of satellites is concerned) SC configuration can be formulated as a search for the most sparse grid. The contemporary advanced methods of computational geometry serve as an algorithmic basis for the problem solution. Design of SC for continuous coverage of latitude belts with the use of kinematically regular systems is considered. A method of analyzing single-track systems for continuous coverage of arbitrary geographic regions is described, which makes a region at any time instant observable by at least one satellite of the system. As an example, SC on elliptical orbits are considered with periods of ～4, 12, and 24 hours.     

Variation of the Satellite Orbit Altitude by the Light Pressure Force

The possibility of the uncontrolled increase of the altitude of an almost circular satellite orbit by the force of the light pressure is investigated. The satellite is equipped with a damper and a system of mirrors (solar batteries can serve as such a system). The flight of the satellite takes place in the mode of a single-axis gravitational orientation, the axis of its minimum principal central moment of inertia makes a small angle with the local vertical and the motion of the satellite around this axis constitutes forced oscillations under the impact of the moment of force of the light pressure. The form of the oscillations and the initial orbit are chosen so that the transverse component of the force of the light pressure acting upon the satellite be positive and the semimajor axis of the orbit would continuously increase. As this takes place, the orbit remains almost circular. We investigate the evolution of the orbit over an extended time interval by the method which employs separate integration of the equations of the orbital and rotational motions of the satellite. The method includes outer and inner cycles. The outer cycle involves the numerical integration of the averaged equations of motion of the satellite center of mass. The inner cycle serves to calculate the right-hand sides of these equations. It amounts to constructing an asymptotically stable periodic motion of the satellite in the mode of a single-axis gravitational orientation for current values of the orbit elements and to averaging the equations of the orbital motion along it. It is demonstrated that the monotone increase of the semimajor axis takes place during the first 15 years of motion. In actuality, the semimajor axis oscillates with a period of about 60 years. The eccentricity and inclination of the orbit remain close to their initial values.     

Nonlinear Evolution of a Balloon Satellite Orbit

The motion of a spherically symmetric balloon satellite near the equatorial plane is considered. Taking the Earth's oblateness and solar light pressure into account, the integral of motion can be obtained under certain simplifications. The eccentricity is related to the solar angle which represents an angle between pericenter and the Sun. This analytical approximation describes a large and complicated evolution of the eccentricity in corresponding areas of the phase space and the space of parameters. Phase portraits contain fixed saddle points and separatrices that divide different types of oscillations of the eccentricity. In the unsimplified problem, separatrices break down, and specific stochastic motions arise. The aims of the present study are (1) evaluation of the accuracy of analytical approximation with the help of numerical integration using a sufficiently complete model of motion and (2) numerical investigation of stochastic motions and dimensions of stochastic zones in the region of broken separatrices for an adequate model of motion. For a balloon satellite with a semimajor axis of 2.15 Earth's radii and a windage of 30 cm²/g the dimensions of a stochastic zone in eccentricity and solar angle are 10^–5and 0.1°, respectively. The analytical approximation describes the orbit evolution in the right way, except for the cases of large eccentricities, e> 0.4, which corresponds to a pericenter height of less than 1400 km, where the atmospheric drag is already significant.     

Periodic motions of a satellite-gyrostat relative to its center of mass under the action of gravitational torque

We investigated periodic motions of the axis of symmetry of a model satellite of the Earth, which are similar to the motions of the longitudinal axes of the Mir orbital station in 1999–2001 and the Foton-M3 satellite in 2007. The motions of these spacecraft represented weakly disturbed regular Euler precession with the angular momentum vector of motion relative to the center of mass close to the orbital plane. The direction of this vector during the motion was not practically changed. The model satellite represents an axisymmetric gyrostat with gyrostatic moment directed along the axis of symmetry. The satellite moves in a circular orbit and undergoes the action of the gravitational torque. The motion of the axis of symmetry of this satellite relative to the absolute space is described by fourth-order differential equations with periodic coefficients. The periodic solutions to this system with special symmetry properties are constructed using analytical and numerical methods.     

基于轨道摄动解的卫星编队飞行

用完全不同的方法推导出一种两颗卫星相对运动的表达式.首先,它描述的是一颗真实的卫星相对一颗在理想轨道上运动的虚拟卫星的运动,而这正是研究编队飞行所必须的;其次,这个表达式将真实卫星相对虚拟卫星的三维位置表示成虚拟卫星的Brouwer平根数及两卫星轨道根数之差的函数.据此便可以充分应用已有的关于轨道摄动的研究成果.作为一个基本模型,首先讨论了一颗真实卫星相对虚拟卫星形成椭圆型地面轨迹的飞行方式.基于轨道长期摄动的已有结果可以很容易地揭示这种飞行方式的长期变化,从而可以毫无困难地制定出轨道调整的策略.最后还研究了三颗卫星以同一条椭圆轨迹飞行的轨道设计和控制问题,该椭圆以虚拟卫星为中心.     

Uncontrolled motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Foton M-2</Emphasis> satellite and quasistatic microaccelerations on its board

The results of determining the uncontrolled rotational motion of the Foton M-2 satellite (in orbit from May 31 to June 16, 2005) are presented. The determination was made using the data of onboard measurements of the Earth’s magnetic field strength. Segments 270 min long (three orbits) were selected from these data covering the first two thirds of the flight. On each such segment the data were processed jointly by the least squares method using integration of the equations of attitude motion of the satellite. In processing, the initial conditions of motion and parameters of the used mathematical model were estimated. The thus obtained results gave a complete overview of the satellite motion. This motion, having started with a small angular velocity, gradually accelerated, and in two days became close to the regular Euler precession of an axisymmetric solid body. On June 09, 2005 (the last day of measurements) the angular velocity of the satellite relative to its lengthwise axis was about 1.1 deg/s, while the projection of the angular velocity onto a plane perpendicular to this axis had an absolute value of about 0.11 deg/s. Deviations of the lengthwise axis from a normal to the orbit plane did not exceed 60°. Based on the results of determination of the rotational motion of the satellite, calculations of quasi-static microaccelerations on its board are performed.     

Determination of attitude motion of the Foton M-2 satellite using the data of onboard measurements of its angular velocity

We present the resutls of a prompt determination of the uncontrolled attitude motion of the Foton M-2 satellite, which was in orbit from May 31 to June 16, 2005. The data of onboard measurements of the angular velocity vector were used for this determination. The measurement sessions were carried out once a day, each lasting 83 min. Upon terminating a session, the data were transmitted to the ground to be processed using the least squares method and integrating the equations of motion of the satellite with respect to its center of mass. As a result of processing, the initial conditions of motion during a session were estimated, as well as parameters of the mathematical model used. The satellite’s actual motion is determined for 12 such sessions. The results obtained in flight completely described the satellite’s motion. This motion, having begun with a small angular velocity, gradually became faster, and in two days became close to the regular Euler precession of an axisymmetric solid body. On June 14, 2005 the angular velocity of the satellite with respect to its longitudinal axis was approximately 1.3 degrees per second, and the angular velocity projection onto a plane perpendicular to this axis had a magnitude of about 0.11 degrees per second. The results obtained are consistent with more precise results obtained later by processing the data on the Earth’s magnetic field measured on the same satellite, and they complement the latter in determination of the motion in the concluding segment of the flight, when no magnetic measurements were performed.     

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.     

Estimation of a Satellite Lifetime in Orbit

An approximate technique for calculating the satellite orbit decay under the aerodynamic drag effect for arbitrary values of the orbit eccentricity and for the realistic model of the altitude dependence of the atmospheric density is proposed.     

Regularization of the Limit Problem of Satellite Librations in a Keplerian Orbit Taking Light Pressure into Account

The planar librations of a satellite whose center of mass moves along an elliptic orbit are considered. It is assumed that not only the gravitational moment but also the forces of light pressure act upon the satellite. Account is taken of the fact that the right-hand sides of the differential equations are nonanalytic functions of the phase variables. When e 1, e being the orbit's eccentricity, the deformations of solutions are considered for the case of a satellite moving along a highly elongated orbit. Such transformation of the initial system of differential equations is carried out so that the new system becomes regular up to the value e = 1. A limit problem corresponding to the case e = 1 is considered. When the azimuth angle of the light source coincides with the direction to the pericenter, the dynamical system is reversible. In this case, the known families of the periodic solutions to the problem can be continued up to the limit case.     

近赤道卫星绕飞编队的运动学分析及轨道设计研究

首先对一般运动学方法在进行近赤道卫星编队相对运动分析和轨道设计时存在的问题进行了分析 ;其次介绍了一种基于零倾角轨道变换的运动学新方法 ,用其对近赤道卫星编队中参考卫星轨道倾角对环绕卫星轨道根数的影响进行了研究 ;最后对零倾角卫星编队相对运动方程的线性化误差进行了理论分析 ,并利用数值仿真对两种运动学方法的相对运动方程线性化误差进行了比较分析。数值仿真的结果表明 :由基于零倾角轨道变换运动学方法得到的相对运动方程的线性化误差不随参考卫星轨道倾角改变 ,而由一般运动学得到的相对运动方程的线性化误差随着卫星编队接近赤道而呈非线性增大。     

Asymptotic study of a complete magnetic attitude control cycle providing a single-axis orientation

The angular motion of an axisymmetrical satellite equipped with the active magnetic attitude control system is examined. Attitude control system has to ensure necessary orientation of the axis of symmetry in the inertial space. It implements the following strategy: coarse reorientation of the axis of symmetry with nutation damping or “-Bdot” without initial detumbling; spinning-up about the axis of symmetry to achieve the property of a gyro; fine reorientation of the axis in the inertial space. Dynamics of the satellite is analytically studied using averaging technique on the complete control loop consisting of five algorithms. Solutions of the equations of motion are obtained in terms of quadratures for most cases or even in closed-form. The latter allowed to study the dependence of motion parameters including time-response with respect to the orbit inclination and other parameters for all algorithms.     

Decay of high eccentricity satellite orbits with air drag using uniformly regular KS canonical elements

A non-singular analytical theory for the motion of high eccentricity satellite orbits under the influence of air drag is developed in terms of the Uniformly Regular Kustaanheimo and Stiefel (URKS) canonical elements, by assuming the atmosphere to be oblate with variation of density scale height with altitude. The series expansions include up to fourth-order terms of an independent variable Δ=λ² (function of eccentric anomaly) and c (a small parameter dependent on the flattening of the atmosphere). Only two of the nine equations are solved analytically due to symmetry in the equations of motion. Comparison of the important orbital parameters semi-major axis and eccentricity up to 1000 revolutions, obtained with the present analytical solution and the KS theory, shows the superiority of the present solution over the KS elements analytical solution. The theory can be used effectively for the orbital decay of aero-assisted orbital transfer orbits during mission planning.     

Stability of resonance rotation of a satellite with respect to its center of mass in the orbit plane

The stability of resonance oscillations and rotations of a satellite in the plane of its orbit in the case when the difference of the moments of inertia with respect to the principal axes lying in the orbit plane is small is determined at a given rotation number m by the sign of function Φ_m(e), introduced by F.L. Chernous’ko in 1963. In this paper, convenient analytical representations of functions Φ_m(e) are described in the form of integrals and series of Bessel functions regular at e → 1^?. Values of Φ_m(1) are calculated in explicit form. A theorem about the double asymptotic form of functions Φ_m(e) at m → ∞ and e → 1^? is proved by the saddlepoint method.     

On Saturn’s rotation relative to a center of mass under the action of the gravitational moments of the Sun and Jupiter

Saturn’s rotation relative to a center of mass is considered within an elliptic restricted three-body problem. It is assumed that Saturn is a solid under the action of gravity of the Sun and Jupiter. The motions of Saturn and Jupiter are considered elliptic with small eccentricities e_S and e_J, respectively; the mean motion of Jupiter n_J is also small. We obtain the averaged Hamiltonian function for a small parameter of ε = n_J and integrals of evolution equations. The main effects of the influence of Jupiter on Saturn’s rotation are described: (α) the evolution of the constant parameters of regular precession for the angular momentum vector I₂; (β) the occurrence of new libration zones of oscillations I₂ near the plane of the celestial equator parallel to the plane of the Jupiter’s orbit; (γ) the occurrence of additional unstable equilibria of vector I₂ at the points of the north and south poles of the celestial sphere and, as a result, the existence of homoclinic trajectories; and (δ) the existence of periodic trajectories with arbitrarily large periods near the homoclinic trajectory. It is shown that the effects of (β), (γ), and (δ) are caused by the eccentricity e of the Jupiter’s orbit and are practically independent of Jupiter’s mass (within satellite approximation).     

The optimization of the orbital Hohmann transfer

There are four bi-impulsive distinct configurations for the generalized Hohmann orbit transfer. In this case the terminal orbits as well as the transfer orbit are elliptic and coplanar. The elements of the initial orbit a₁, e₁ and the semi-major axis a₂ of the terminal orbit are uniquely given quantities. For optimization procedure, minimization is relevant to the independent parameter e_T, the eccentricity of the transfer orbit. We are capable of the assignment of minimum rocket fuel expenditure by using ordinary calculus condition of minimization for |ΔV_A|+|ΔV_B|=S.We exposed in detail the multi-steps of the optimization procedure. We constructed the variation table of S(e_T) which proved that S(e_T) is a decreasing function of e_T in the admissible interval [e_Tmin,e_Tmax]. Our analysis leads to the fact that e₂=1 for e_T=e_Tmax, i.e. the final orbit is a parabolic trajectory.     

地球磁场对带电赤道卫星的轨道半长轴和偏心率的摄动影响

本文利用摄动理论研究了带电的赤道卫星在地球磁场中做椭圆轨道运动时地磁摄动力对轨道半长径和偏心率的摄动影响。研究结果表明：地磁场对带电赤道卫星的轨道半长径没有摄动影响，既无周期摄动，也无长期摄动，但对轨道偏心率有摄动影响，且只有周期性摄动，而无长期摄动。当卫星自身带电量较大时，这种摄动影响必须予以考虑     

卫星编队飞行星间相对运动

为分析编队卫星不同模型间的差异，分别根据动力学和运动学推导了星间相对运动的非线性、线性和相对轨道根数三种模型。以非线性相对运动模型为参考，在相同初始条件下比较各模型的位置误差。仿真结果表明：中心星在圆轨道或近圆轨道上运动时，三个模型结果相差较大。增大中心星轨道偏心率，可减小其位置误差。     

Experimental investigation of the modes of operation of uncontrolled attitude motion of the Progress spacecraft

Results of in-flight tests of three modes of uncontrolled attitude motion of the Progress spacecraft are described. These proposed modes of experiments related to microgravity are as follows: (1) triaxial gravitational orientation, (2) gravitational orientation of the rotating satellite, and (3) spin-up in the plane of the orbit around the axis of the maximum moment of inertia. The tests were carried out from May 24 to June 1, 2004 onboard the spacecraft Progress M1-11. The actual motion of this spacecraft with respect to its center of mass, in the above-mentioned modes, was determined by telemetric information about an electric current tapped off from solar batteries. The values of the current obtained during a time interval of several hours were processed jointly using the least squares method by integration of the equations of the spacecraft’s attitude motion. The processing resulted in estimation of the initial conditions of motion and of the parameters of mathematical models used. For the obtained motions the quasi-static component of microaccelerations was computed at a point onboard, where installation of experimental equipment is possible.