Space station orbit design using dynamic programming

A space station orbit design mission is characterized by a long-duration and multi-step decision process. First, the long-duration design process is divided into multiple planning periods, each of which consists of five basic flight segments. Second, each planning period is modeled as a multi-step decision process, and the orbital altitude strategies of different flight segments have interaction effects on each other. Third, a dynamic programming method is used to optimize the total propellant consumption of a planning period while considering interaction effects. The step cost of each decision segment is the propellant for orbital-decay maintenance or lifting altitude, and is calculated by approximate analytical equations and combining a shooting iteration method. The proposed approach is demonstrated for a typical orbit design problem of a space station. The results show that the proposed approach can effectively optimize the design of altitude strategies, and can save considerable propellant consumption for the space station than previous public studies.     

Autonomous orbit maintenance system

Orbit maintenance is a major cost factor for Earth satellites in specialized orbits, such as a repeating ground track, or in formations. While autonomous attitude control is well established, the spacecraft's orbit is usually uncontrolled or maintained by ground station commands. For small, lower cost satellites, operations costs can be a dominant element of both cost and risk. This implies a need for low-cost autonomous orbit maintenance in order to allow such systems to be economically viable, particularly in today's constrained budget environment.

In addition, if the position of the spacecraft is controlled, it is therefore known in advance. Thus, mission planning can be done as far in advance as desired, without the need for replanning and frequent updating due to unpredictable orbit decay. An interesting characteristic of autonomous orbit maintenance is that it typically requires less software, and less complex software, than does orbit control from the ground. In many cases, an onboard orbit propagator is not needed.     

Electrodynamic Tethered Deorbit System Dynamics and Performance Analysis

Electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology is a novel way to remove abandoned spacecrafts like upper stages or unusable satellites. This paper investigates and analyses the deorbit performance and mission applicability of the electrodynamic tethered system. To do so, the electrodynamic tethered deorbit dynamics with multi-perturbation is firstly formulated, where the Earth magnetic field, the atmospheric drag, and the Earth oblateness effect are considered. Then, the key system parameters, including payload mass, tether length and tether type, are analyzed by numerical simulations to investigate their influences on the deorbit performance and to give the setting principles for choosing system parameters. Based on this and given an appropriate group of system parameters, numerical simulations are undertaken to study the impact of the mission parameters, including orbit height and orbit inclination, and thus to investigate the mission applicability of the electrodynamic tethered deorbit technology.     

单站多普勒跟踪定轨的优化算法

由于低轨道小卫星应用的日益广泛，在轨卫星数目的迅速膨胀，对传统的多个地面站相互协调管理卫星领域模式提出了挑战。小卫星的低成本特性必然要求存在与之相应的地面站设施降低复杂性、降低成本。本文针对当前已提出的单站多普勒定轨方案，进一步研究了多普勒定轨的有关方法，提出和建立了多普勒定轨的优化算法与模型，最后进行了仿真分析与模型的有效性验证。     

Mission analysis and systems design of a near-term and far-term pole-sitter mission

This paper provides a detailed mission analysis and systems design of a near-term and far-term pole-sitter mission. The pole-sitter concept was previously introduced as a solution to the poor temporal resolution of polar observations from highly inclined, low Earth orbits and the poor high-latitude coverage from geostationary orbit. It considers a spacecraft that is continuously above either the north or south pole and, as such, can provide real-time, continuous and hemispherical coverage of the polar regions. Being on a non-Keplerian orbit, a continuous thrust is required to maintain the pole-sitter position. For this, two different propulsion strategies are proposed, which result in a near-term pole-sitter mission using solar electric propulsion (SEP) and a far-term pole-sitter mission where the SEP thruster is hybridized with a solar sail. For both propulsion strategies, minimum propellant pole-sitter orbits are designed. In order to maximize the spacecraft mass at the start of the operations phase of the mission, the transfer from Earth to the pole-sitter orbit is designed and optimized assuming either a Soyuz or an Ariane 5 launch. The maximized mass upon injection into the pole-sitter orbit is subsequently used in a detailed mass budget analysis that will allow for a trade-off between mission lifetime and payload mass capacity. Also, candidate payloads for a range of applications are investigated. Finally, transfers between north and south pole-sitter orbits are considered to overcome the limitations in observations due to the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis that causes the poles to be alternately situated in darkness. It will be shown that in some cases these transfers allow for propellant savings, enabling a further extension of the pole-sitter mission.     

欧空局今后十年空间探测战略

欧空局目前正在研究今后十年的空间探测任务,这些任务可以分为两大类,一类是具有研究性的地球探测任务,另一类是可供使用的地球观察任务。这些研究要求的卫星质量不同,小的不足1000kg,大的可达3000kg;功率不同,小的不到500W,大的超过1500W;轨道高度也不同,从500km到800km。除降雨量观测任务由于飞行器结构和系统的限制是在低倾角轨道上执行外,其他大部分任务将在太阳同步轨道上执行。     

低轨卫星倾斜轨道设计及优化

根据有效载荷性能和任务需求对低轨卫星的倾斜回归圆轨道设计进行了研究,以升交点赤经为参数,对1个回归周期内特定目标的覆盖性能指标进行了优化。算例表明:卫星对地面目标点的覆盖率可达0.977 5。如需对多个目标点或目标区域进行观测,可在此基础上增加目标点再作优化设计,以获得最佳覆盖性能。     

搭建地月鹊桥的嫦娥四号中继星（英文）

The far side of the moon is a unique place for some scientific investigations. Chang'e 4 is a Chinese lunar far side landing exploration mission. Relay communication satellite, named as Queqiao, is an important and innovative part of Chang'e 4 mission. It can provide relay communication to the lander and the rover operating on the lunar far side to maintain their contacts with Earth. It was launched by LM-4 C launch vehicle at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on May 21, 2018. After five precise orbit controls and a journey of more than 20 days, Queqiao inserted into final halo mission orbit around Earth-moon libration point 2, located about 65,000 km beyond the moon. It is the world's first communication satellite operating in that orbit. Up to now, Queqiao worked very well and provided reliable, continuous communication relay service for the lander and the rover to ensure the mission success of Chang'e 4 exploration mission. Via Queqiao, the lander and the rover were controlled to work by ground stations and obtained a great amount of scientific data. The mission overview, operation orbit selection, relay communication system design and flight profile were introduced in this article.     

Rosetta: The ESA comet rendezvous mission

Rosetta was selected in November 1993 for the ESA Cornerstone 3 mission, to be launched in 2003, dedicated to the exploration of the small bodies of the solar system (asteroids and comets). Following this selection, the Rosetta mission and its spacecraft have been completely reviewed: this paper presents the studies performed the proposed mission and the resulting spacecraft design.

Three mission opportunities have been identified in 2003–2004, allowing rendezvous with a comet. From a single Ariane 5 launch, the transfer to the comet orbit will be supported by planetary gravity assists (two from Earth, one from Venus or Mars); during the transfer sequence, two asteroid fly-bys will occur, allowing first mission science phases. The comet rendezvous will occur 8–9 years after launch; Rosetta will orbit around the comet and the main science mission phase will take place up to the comet perihelion (1–2 years duration).

The spacecraft design is driven (i) by the communication scenario with the Earth and its equipment, (ii) by the autonomy requirements for the long cruise phases which are not supported by the ground stations, (iii) by the solar cells solar array for the electrical power supply and (iv) by the navigation scenario and sensors for cruise, target approach and rendezvous phases. These requirements will be developed and the satellite design will be presented.     

Approximate solutions to minimax optimal control problems for aeroassisted orbital transfer

This paper considers minimax problems of optimal control arising in the study of aeroassisted orbital transfer. The maneuver considered involves the coplanar transfer from a high planetary orbit to a low planetary orbit. An example is the HEO-to-LEO transfer of a spacecraft, where HEO denotes high Earth orbit and LEO denotes low Earth orbit. In particular, HEO can be GEO, a geosynchronous Earth orbit.The basic idea is to employ the hybrid combination of propulsive maneuvers in space and aerodynamic maneuvers in the sensible atmosphere. Hence, this type of flight is also called synergetic space flight. With reference to the atmospheric part of the maneuver, trajectory control is achieved by means of lift modulation. The presence of upper and lower bounds on the lift coefficient is considered.The following minimax problems of optimal control are investigated: (i) minimize the peak heating rate, problem P1; and (ii) minimize the peak dynamic pressure, problem P2. It is shown that problems P1 and P2 are approximately equivalent to the following minimax problem of optimal control: (iii) minimize the peak altitude drop occurring in the atmospheric portion of the trajectory, problem P3.Problems P1–P3 are Chebyshev problems of optimal control, which can be converted into Bolza problems by suitable transformations. However, the need for these transformations can be bypassed if one reformulates problem P3 as a two-subarc problem of optimal control, in which the first subarc connects the initial point and the point where the path inclination is zero, and the second subarc connects the point where the path inclination is zero and the final point: (iv) minimize the altitude drop achieved at the point of junction between the first subarc and the second subarc, problem P4. Note that problem P4 is a Bolza problem of optimal control.Numerical solutions for problems P1–P4 are obtained by means of the sequential gradient-restoration algorithm for optimal control problems. Numerical examples are presented, and their engineering implications are discussed. In particular, it is shown that, from an engineering point of view, it is desirable to solve problem P3 or P4, rather than problems P1 and P2.     

低轨Walker星座构型演化及维持策略分析

针对低轨(LEO)Walker星座构型维持问题，分析在地球非球形引力和大气阻力摄动下卫星的运动规律及星座构型演化特性。结果表明，低轨Walker星座构型发散主要体现在由初始轨道参数不一致引起的轨道高度衰减和相位漂移，国内首例低轨Walker星座实测轨道数据验证了理论分析的正确性。结合星座任务特性与构型发散特点，提出了基于基准卫星的相对相位维持策略，选取一颗卫星作为基准卫星，使星座中其它所有卫星相对于基准卫星的相位漂移量累加值最小，通过对目标卫星实施一次相对基准卫星的轨道高度抬升/降低，维持星间的相对位置关系。实际工程应用表明了此策略的有效性，不仅降低星座构型维持的复杂度及频次，节约燃料，且轨控时间短，为我国今后卫星星座的构型维持提供参考。     

火星卫星的冻结轨道研究

冻结轨道是一种稳定的轨道,地球、火星、月球的卫星因引力场的南北不对称,都存在冻结轨道.由于主星体引力场的不同,它们卫星的冻结轨道也有不同的特性.地球卫星的冻结执道的偏心率非常小,对卫星遥感非常有利,国内外已有相当多的近地遥感卫星采用这种轨道.月球卫星的冻结轨道偏心率随轨道倾角的不同有很大的变化,对月球卫星冻结轨道的研究...     

SST-LL重力测量卫星轨道分析

论述了SST-LL重力测量卫星科学任务对轨道寿命、地面覆盖性能、轨道高度单圈波动、星间距离变化范围的需求。根据需求,计算了轨道的自然衰减情况,得出轨道初始高度为500km;综合考虑地面覆盖要求及运载火箭能力,得出了最佳轨道倾角为89°;得出了0.002 0偏心率下轨道高度波动范围不超过50km;分析得出星间距离的长周期变化主要受大气阻力影响,初步确定了轨道控制方案,即定期对受大气阻力较大的卫星进行轨道机动。     

A compact, light-weight high data-rate antenna system for remote-sensing orbiters and space exploration

Upcoming space missions utilizing hyperspectral or other high-resolution sensors will generate a vast amount of data in orbit. The average communication duration between a spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) to a dedicated ground station is short and in addition, due to the high amount of data to be transferred at link times, a high-performance communication system on board of the satellite is indispensable.A solution that provides longer acquisition times with the ground station is to employ a high data-rate inter-satellite link to a geostationary relay satellite, which requires a flat, compact, steerable, light-weight yet robust antenna. Such an antenna system (antenna module plus pointing module) was developed for S-Band at the Institute of Astronautics (Technische Universität München), in cooperation with German space companies, research institutes and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Its successful operation via the geostationary relay satellite Artemis was demonstrated in cooperation with ESA in 2007.This paper describes the evaluation of an antenna system in the Ka-Band, as a successor to be developed in the next two years for high data rates and the various applications of such an antenna system.     

Taiwan's second remote sensing satellite

FORMOSAT-2 is Taiwan's first remote sensing satellite (RSS). It was launched on 20 May 2004 with five-year mission life and a very unique mission orbit at 891 km altitude. This orbit gives FORMOSAT-2 the daily revisit feature and the capability of imaging the Arctic and Antarctic regions due to the high enough altitude. For more than three years, FORMOSAT-2 has performed outstanding jobs and its global effectiveness is evidenced in many fields such as public education in Taiwan, Earth science and ecological niche research, preservation of the world heritages, contribution to the International Charter: space and major disasters, observation of suspected North Korea and Iranian nuclear facilities, and scientific observation of the atmospheric transient luminous events (TLEs). In order to continue the provision of earth observation images from space, the National Space Organization (NSPO) of Taiwan started to work on the second RSS from 2005. This second RSS will also be Taiwan's first indigenous satellite. Both the bus platform and remote sensing instrument (RSI) shall be designed and manufactured by NSPO and the Instrument Technology Research Center (ITRC) under the supervision of the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARL). Its onboard computer (OBC) shall use Taiwan's indigenous LEON-3 central processing unit (CPU). In order to achieve cost effective design, the commercial off the shelf (COTS) components shall be widely used. NSPO shall impose the up-screening/qualification and validation/verification processes to ensure their normal functions for proper operations in the severe space environments.     

基于J_2项摄动的星地链路时间窗口快速算法

星地链路时间窗口计算是卫星系统任务调度必须解决的重要问题之一。分析J2项摄动的LEO卫星和地面站的空间位置关系,提出一种通过偏近点角的超越方程计算时间窗口的新方法,采用以大圆近似星下点轨迹的方法求解此方程。仿真表明,时间窗口起始时刻误差小于1s,时间窗口长度误差小于1.2s,计算时间减少了99.7%。算法在保证精度的同时大幅度降低时间窗口的计算量,为卫星系统任务调度提供有效支持。     

Tracking and data relay satellite system: NASA's new spacecraft data acquisition system

The growth in NASA's ground network complexity and cost triggered a search for an alternative. Through a lease service contract, Western Union will provide to NASA 10 years of space communications services with a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). A constellation of four operating satellites in geostationary orbit and a single ground terminal will provide complete tracking, telemetry and command service for all of NASA's Earth orbital satellites below an altitude of 12,000 km. The system is shared: two satellites will be dedicated to NASA service; a third will provide backup as a shared spare; the fourth satellite will be dedicated to Western Union's Advanced Westar commercial service. Western Union will operate the ground terminal and provide operational satellite control. NASA's Network Control Center will provide the focal point for scheduling user services and controlling the interface between TDRSS and the rest of the NASA communications network, project control centers and data processing facilities. TDRSS single access user spacecraft data systems should be designed for efficient time shared data relay support. Reimbursement policy and rate structure for non-NASA users are currently being developed.     

Taiwan's second remote sensing satellite

FORMOSAT-2 is Taiwan's first remote sensing satellite (RSS). It was launched on 20 May 2004 with five-year mission life and a very unique mission orbit at 891 km altitude. This orbit gives FORMOSAT-2 the daily revisit feature and the capability of imaging the Arctic and Antarctic regions due to the high enough altitude. For more than three years, FORMOSAT-2 has performed outstanding jobs and its global effectiveness is evidenced in many fields such as public education in Taiwan, Earth science and ecological niche research, preservation of the world heritages, contribution to the International Charter: space and major disasters, observation of suspected North Korea and Iranian nuclear facilities, and scientific observation of the atmospheric transient luminous events (TLEs). In order to continue the provision of earth observation images from space, the National Space Organization (NSPO) of Taiwan started to work on the second RSS from 2005. This second RSS will also be Taiwan's first indigenous satellite. Both the bus platform and remote sensing instrument (RSI) shall be designed and manufactured by NSPO and the Instrument Technology Research Center (ITRC) under the supervision of the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARL). Its onboard computer (OBC) shall use Taiwan's indigenous LEON-3 central processing unit (CPU). In order to achieve cost effective design, the commercial off the shelf (COTS) components shall be widely used. NSPO shall impose the up-screening/qualification and validation/verification processes to ensure their normal functions for proper operations in the severe space environments.     

嫦娥一号月球探测卫星轨道设计

嫦娥一号卫星航天使命的主要科学目标是对月球及月地空间进行多种遥感探测,航天使命设计的主要和基本的部分是卫星飞行轨道的设计,其中包括在飞行过程中的轨道控制策略的设计。嫦娥一号的这条飞行轨道由三大部分组成:第一部分是绕地飞行的调相轨道,它们由周期为16h、24h、48h的三段轨道组成;第二部分是关键的地月转移轨道;第三部分是200km高度绕月飞行的使命轨道。文章给出了整个飞行轨道的设计思想。     

Rotational and translational integrated control for Inner-formation Gravity Measurement Satellite System

Inner-Formation Gravity Measurement Satellite System (IFGMSS) is used to explore the Earth gravity using two satellites in an inner-formation flying mode. To fulfill the mission, relative position of the two satellites is required to be zeroed and attitude of the outer satellite should be stabilized in real-time. This paper proposed an integrated control scheme for the IFGMSS, and the main idea is to use only thrusters to control the relative position and attitude. The integrated control loop contains a control law's module and a control allocation law's module. The control law based on the feedback linearization method makes nonlinear dynamics counteracted and uses PD control law to reformulate the dynamics into a linear form. The integrated control allocation law is designed to assign the commanded control force and moment to each thruster dynamically. We transfer the control allocation problem into a linear programming (LP) problem and use the Optimal Theory to calculate the corresponding thrust of each thruster. Finally, an IFGMSS mission is simulated, where the two satellites fly in a circle orbit with a 300 km's altitude. Results using the integrated control scheme and the traditional separated control scheme are compared and analyzed. It has been found that the integrated control scheme is superior to the separated control scheme in output ability, level of redundancy and fuel cost.