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.     

Multisatellite systems with linear structure and their application for continuous coverage of the earth

Multisatellite systems with linear structure (SLS) are defined, and their application for a continuous global or zonal coverage of the Earths surface is justified. It is demonstrated that in some cases these systems turned out to be better than usually recommended kinematically regular systems by G.V. Mozhaev, delta systems of J.G. Walker, and polar systems suggested by F.W. Gobets, L. Rider, and W.S. Adams. When a comparison is made using the criterion of a minimum radius of one-satellite coverage circle, the SLS beat the other systems for the majority of satellite numbers from the range 20–63, if the global continuous single coverage of the Earth is required. In the case of a zonal continuous single coverage of the latitude belt ±65°, the SLS are preferable at almost all numbers of satellites from 38 to 100, and further at any values up to 200 excluding 144.Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2005, pp. 36–53.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Saulskiy.     

Optimization of geosynchronous satellite constellation for independent regional navigation and positioning in Middle East region

Regional Navigation and positioning systems using geosynchronous satellites are emerging for different parts of the world. Optimal constellation geometry achievement for a set of geosynchronous satellites is a key sector in designing of such systems. Genetic algorithm is applied for optimization of constellations with 6 and 7 satellites which is to be used in Middle East region where these systems have been deprived of. Based on the fact that the coverage criterion is not sufficient enough to guarantee a good navigation service, positioning process by the satellite systems is discussed and the performance of the system on the basis of position dilution of precision is collected as the fitness criterion. Placing the satellites in groups to pass over the same ground track is applied as a constraint to the genetic algorithm. By simulation, performance of the best obtained results and GPS are compared in terms of position dilution of precision, visibility and the required epochs (time span) to resolve the ambiguities with a 99% success rate, in this region. Also, capability of the GA for such problems is demonstrated.     

基于遗传算法的多星座选星方法

提出了一种基于遗传算法的选星方法,该方法能够准确、快速地实现多个全球导航卫星系统(GNSS)下选星颗数大于4的选星。经过大量试验确定了遗传算法选星的选择、交叉、变异等关键参数,并通过在交叉和变异中穿插染色体优选过程克服了遗传算法的选星结果容易陷入局部最优的缺点。以不同GNSS星座个数和不同选星颗数下的选星仿真校验了所设定遗传参数的有效性和可靠性。仿真结果表明,利用遗传算法可以高效、准确地实现选星,该方法特别适用于多星座多选星颗数的情况。     

A vector method for synthesis of orbits and the structure of satellite constellations for multiswath periodic coverage of the Earth

Single satellites and multisatellite constellations for the periodic coverage of the Earth are considered. The main feature is the use of several cameras with different swath widths. A vector method is proposed which makes it possible to find orbits minimizing the periodicities of coverage of a given area of Earth uniformly for all swaths. Their number is not limited, but the relative dimensions should satisfy the Fibonacci series or some new numerical sequences. The results apply to constellations of any number of satellites. Formulas were derived for calculating their structure, i.e., relative position in the constellation. Examples of orbits and the structure of constellations for the Earth’s multiswath coverage are presented.     

协同小卫星系统和服务

文章提出一个新概念:协同小卫星系统和服务(应用),简称5S(Synergic Small Satellites Systems and Services)。其目的是积极研究和开发多颗小卫星联合协同工作,开创在各领域新的应用。文中首先论述5S的概念与内涵;其次研究小卫星星座和编队飞行性能特点与系统设计;最后介绍近几年来协同小卫星系统的4个创新应用示例。     

商业航天背景下卫星星座运营思考（英文）

With the advances of small satellite technology in commercial space sector, using small satellite networks to form a satellite constellation and conduct commercial operational services has entered into a vigorous phase of development. As small satellite technology develops, problems in the operations of small satellite constellations are also gradually emerging. These include ground measurement and operational control systems for small satellite constellations, the commercial operational mode, support and the guarantee of laws and regulations related to small satellites. This report discusses the development of commercial space small satellite operation industrialization, explores the small satellite operational modes and technological innovation, proposes the commercial space industry chain to build the industry ecology. At the same time, it looks forward to the integration of space and terrestrial communication. It also calls on relevant organizations of China to speed up the process of space legislation, formulate the relevant policies to encourage the operations of small satellites in commercial space sector, and push China's commercial space to a new level.     

The development of a Russian communication satellite of small class, operating in the geostationary and high-elliptical orbits

In 1994–1995 Lavochkin Association (Russia) together with the other enterprises in accordance with technical requirements of the Russian Space agency, developed a new Russian communication satellite of a small class that will operate in both the geostationary (GSO) and high-elliptical (HEO) orbits. This satellite may be injected into operational orbits using a SOYUZ-2 launch vehicle (LV) and a FREGAT upper stage (US) from Plesetsk and Baykonur space launch sites (SLS).The main reason for creating such a satellite was to decrease the cost of the support and development of the Russian communication geostationary satellites group.Russian satellites Horizont, Express, Ekran and Gals, which operate in GSO, are the basis of the space segment for communications, radio and TV broadcasting. All of these satellites are injected into GSO by the PROTON LV. PROTON is a launch vehicle of a heavy class. The use of a middle class LV instead of a heavy class will allow to reduce considerably the launch cost. The change of a heavy class LV to a LV of middle class determined one economic reason for this project. Besides, the opportunity to launch S/C into GSO from Russian Plesetsk SLS increases the independence of Russia in the domain of space communications, despite the presence of the contract with Kazachstan about the rent of Baykonur SLS. Finally, use of small satellites with a rather small number of transponders is more effective than the use of big satellites. It will allow also to increase a satellite group (by the launch of additional satellites) precisely in accordance to the development of the ground segment.     

国外卫星星座自主运行技术发展综述

综述国外卫星星座自主运行技术的研究和发展情况,重点介绍了导航星座、移动通信星座和区域覆盖星座的自主导航和自主轨道控制技术的发展现状,并对实现星座自主控制的关键技术进行了分析。这为我国发展星座自主控制技术提供参考。     

卫星星座的相对几何和区域覆盖重复周期

研究了在设计δ星座或者由几个δ星座的某些卫星构成的星座时经常需要考虑的三个问题：任意两颗卫星是否在同一条星下点轨迹上，同一条星下点轨迹上的卫星通过某一区域的相对顺序和星座对某特定区域或地点覆盖重复周期的计算。首先对δ星座中卫星之间的相对几何关系做了详细的分析，给出了第一个问题的判断准则，并进一步导出了位于同一条星下点轨迹上的卫星通过某一指定地区的相对顺序以及相应的时间间隔的计算方法。在解决前两个问题的基础上，针对由一个或几个δ星座(或子星座)构成的设计星座，给出了计算其区域覆盖重复周期的方法。     

The development of a Russian communication satellite of small class, operating in the geostationary and high-elliptical orbits

In 1994-1995 Lavochkin Association (Russia) together with the other enterprises in accordance with technical requirements of the Russian Space agency, developed a new Russian communication satellite of a small class that will operate in both the geostationary (GSO) and high-elliptical (HEO) orbits. This satellite may be injected into operational orbits using a SOYUZ-2 launch vehicle (LV) and a FREGAT upper stage (US) from Plesetsk and Baykonur space launch sites (SLS).The main reason for creating such a satellite was to decrease the cost of the support and development of the Russian communication geostationary satellites group.Russian satellites Horizont, Express, Ekran and Gals, which operate in GSO, are the basis of the space segment for communications, radio and TV broadcasting. All of these satellites are injected into GSO by the PROTON LV. PROTON is a launch vehicle of a heavy class. The use of a middle class LV instead of a heavy class will allow to reduce considerably the launch cost. The change of a heavy class LV to a LV of middle class determined one economic reason for this project. Besides, the opportunity to launch S/C into GSO from Russian Plesetsk SLS increases the independence of Russia in the domain of space communications, despite the presence of the contract with Kazachstan about the rent of Baykonur SLS. Finally, use of small satellites with a rather small number of transponders is more effective than the use of big satellites. It will allow also to increase a satellite group (by the launch of additional satellites) precisely in accordance to the development of the ground segment.     

采用遗传算法进行区域覆盖卫星星座优化设计

区域覆盖星座的研究具有很大的现实意义。本文建立了一种比较通用的区域覆盖星座模型，将遗传算法用于该模型，建立了一整套区域覆盖星座的优化设计办法，算例说明了该算法的有效性。这种优化设计法具有一定的理论和实用意义。     

一种低轨卫星星座覆盖性能通用评价准则

针对不同构形卫星星座的统一评价问题,提出了一种低轨星座覆盖性能的通用评价准则,可对不同构形和不同高度的星座对地覆盖性能进行统一评价。该准则将星座的对地仰角特性转化为具有相同覆盖能力的标准卫星数,以之同星座中实际卫星数的比值作为星座覆盖性能指数对星座实施评价。利用该评价准则,计算了Iridium、Globalstar、Celestri和NeLS四种星座构形覆盖性能的评价指数并提出了改进方法。     

面向飞行器自主导航的铱星/星链星座覆盖性及可见性分析

针对低轨星座机会信号导航中单星座构型和可见星数无法同时满足高精度、高可用性的难题,基于铱星、星链轨道参数,建立了单星座和混合星座模型,探究了各个星座覆盖重数、覆盖率及飞行器对上述星座的可见性。研究结果表明：飞行器可见星数随飞行高度增加而减少,随飞行器最小观测仰角增大而减少,星链和铱星的融合可显著增加纬度60°以上区域可见星数。铱星对全球不同纬度、不同时间具有100%全覆盖;星链目前覆盖区域向两极拓展,对全球覆盖重数最大为56,最小为0,未实现全球不同纬度、全时段100%的覆盖率,但中国区域星链覆盖率均优于美国区域。星链和铱星的混合星座使全球覆盖重数优于10,不同纬度、不同时间覆盖率达到100%,显著优于单星座。     

低轨星座对静止轨道卫星同频干扰指标研究

随着全球低轨星座系统的快速部署及应用,非静止轨道卫星对静止轨道卫星系统的同频干扰问题日益凸显。为保护静止轨道卫星系统不受有害干扰,国际电联现行无线电规则中规定了非静止轨道卫星系统应满足的等效功率通量密度限值或干扰噪声比限值,但所适用频段及限值标准仍在不断修订完善中。为了精确定量评估低轨星座对静止轨道卫星的同频干扰,通过对等效功率通量密度限值和干扰噪声比限值的确定方法及演进历程进行研究,分析了上述限值与静止轨道卫星实际被干扰的对应关系,并以典型倾斜轨道星座和极地轨道星座为例,分析了不同干扰指标对卫星系统间干扰判定结果的影响,当静止轨道卫星系统的实际被干扰门限低于国际电联制定等效功率通量密度限值选用的参考门限时,建议低轨星座选择干扰噪声比限值作为开展频率干扰分析与判定的依据。     

基于自适应软切换的多星座组合导航系统研究

多卫星组合导航系统星座结构复杂、卫星数量多,在某些特定场合、特殊时间内需要快速完成星座和卫星的选取和重组.采用一种快速选星算法和自组织网络相结合的策略,并应用于多卫星导航系统建模和多星座软切换领域,既避开了系统对象建模这一难点,同时又充分利用卫星星座间的相互关联性,极大的发掘多卫星系统本身的潜力.仿真结果表明,快速选星算法和自组织组网技术可以增强整个导航系统的抗干扰性和自愈能力,以牺牲较少的定位精度来有效减少导航运算量,提高导航定位的实时性.     

采用改进非支配近邻免疫算法的低轨混合星座设计优化

针对低轨同构星座覆盖资源在纬度上分布不均匀的不足,提出采用低轨混合星座提升覆盖均匀性的设计方案,并推导了满足全球任意点平均每天覆盖一定次数的最小卫星规模估算公式。针对非支配近邻免疫算法（NNIA）约束处理方面的不足,提出基于约束支配的改进非支配近邻免疫算法（Modified NNIA）,并以此设计了一种低轨混合星座优化平台来优化带约束的星座设计问题。仿真结果表明,改进的NNIA算法在收敛速度和多样性上均优于非支配分层遗传算法（NSGA II）和多目标粒子群算法（MOPSO）,可大大提高星座设计的效率。同时优化结果也表明低轨混合星座可提高覆盖的均匀性和大部分区域的覆盖次数,进而减少特定覆盖要求所需的卫星数目。     

玫瑰星座的优化设计方法

玫瑰星座是一种均匀分布的星座，常用于全球连续覆盖。本文对玫瑰星座的基本理论进行了论述，提出了玫瑰星座用于实现全球一重连续覆盖时的优化方法。用本文提出的方法对卫星总数多达３００的玫瑰星座进行了优化计算并给出了计算结果。     

大型低轨航天器与星座卫星的碰撞风险研究

针对商业小卫星星座迅猛发展对航天器飞行安全造成潜在威胁的问题，以600 km高度星座和大型低轨航天器为研究对象，通过区域方法(BOX)和碰撞概率风险评估方法，分析了星座与大型低轨航天器的碰撞风险。根据星座轨道演化分析表明，整个星座卫星与大型低轨航天器可能发生碰撞的时间相对集中，持续时间约 1~ 2年。BOX方法计算结果表明，每颗卫星与大型低轨航天器交会，并进入红色预警门限的交会次数约10次左右。碰撞概率计算结果表明，约有5%的卫星进入红色预警门限，星座如果在寿命末期采取无控再入将对大型低轨航天器在1~2年内产生较大的威胁。     

Designing nonuniform satellite systems for continuous global coverage using equatorial and polar circular orbits

We present a method for designing nonuniform satellite systems for continuous global coverage using a combination of equatorial and near-polar satellite segments in circular orbits. Equations are derived to determine the basic design parameters of the satellite system itself and the conditions of its closure at the joint of near-polar and equatorial segments. We analyze specific features of near-polar and equatorial satellite systems and their advantages and disadvantages compared with existing classes of near-polar phased and kinematically correct satellite systems. We estimate the minimum required number of spacecrafts in satellite systems for a given fold of coverage and present calculated dependences for classes of near-polar phased and equatorial satellite systems with different types of closure. For the class of kinematically correct satellite systems, we analyze the characteristics of systems with a minimum spacecraft flight height and reveal that the number of satellites in the orbital plane depends on the flight height for different folds of coverage. We bring examples of the best near-polar equatorial satellite systems of global coverage for different folds and a class of satellite systems with a fixed number of spacecrafts and orbital planes in them.