SBV对GEO短弧初轨确定误差分析

SBV开创了天基光学空间目标监视的先河,其主要任务是弥补地基观测站对GEO等高轨深空目标监视能力的欠缺。空间目标监视任务中,非相关目标的初轨确定具有重要意义。本文针对SBV对GEO目标的短弧段初轨确定问题,通过对短弧段测量方程系数矩阵和初轨误差的推导分析,研究短弧段初轨计算病态性和误差特性,为天基监视系统设计提供参考。     

低轨星载光学测量确定静止卫星轨道的方法

为了研究低地球轨道(LEO)卫星对地球静止轨道(GEO)卫星的跟踪定轨能力,文章提出利用LEO星载光学测量技术对GEO卫星进行轨道确定。文章充分考虑光学可视条件与星载相机的观测区域,对LEO卫星跟踪GEO卫星的空间环境以及测量模式进行模拟。利用模拟得到的测角数据采用数值方法对GEO卫星进行定轨并与参考轨道进行重叠对比。通过仿真算例对单圈及多圈跟踪情况下GEO目标定轨精度进行分析,结果表明,在平台轨道误差3m、测量精度5"情况下,随着观测圈数的叠加,GEO卫星的轨道确定精度可由500m量级提升至百米量级。若提升平台精度和测量精度,则轨道确定性可进一步提高。     

天基光学观测GEO空间目标定轨方法研究

对天基光学观测GEO空间目标定轨方法进行了研究。根据单位矢量法的条件方程组,推导了用于初轨计算的约束总体最小二乘法,给出了能估计测量系统误差的轨道改进方法。仿真结果表明:用该法可提高初轨精度,轨道改进的收敛性能好。     

基于遗传算法的极短弧段天基轨道确定方法

天基光学观测系统采用恒星跟踪模式监视空间目标时获取的观测弧段极短,在极短弧段观测条件下,经典的轨道确定方法会由于求解方程的本征病态无法得到合理解。针对该问题,文章采用遗传算法对空间目标极短弧段轨道确定问题进行优化求解,建立了基于遗传算法的空间目标初始轨道参数求解的运算模型,并利用空间目标的分布特性进行分区域计算,从而有针对性地缩小搜索范围,提高了计算效率并避免解收敛到局部最优值。仿真试验表明:该方法能够利用天基极短弧段观测数据正确估计空间目标初始轨道参数,定轨精度优于Gauss法与采用观测斜矩作为优化变量的方法。此方法为精密定轨提供有效初值,提高多个短弧段之间的关联性,由此可为天基光学观测平台的空间目标监视、跟踪以及编目任务提供参考。     

基于地面图像的卫星自主定轨方法可观测性及定轨性能分析

卫星自主定轨是航天发展趋势之一。近年来,高分辨率遥感卫星不断发展,为利用光学遥感图像进行自主定轨提供了可能。在此背景下,提出了一种基于地面特征点图像的自主定轨方法。通过构造局部可观测矩阵分析了该定轨系统的可观测性,并用局部可观测矩阵的条件数表征可观测度,估计系统的定轨性能。通过Monte-Carlo仿真实验评估了系统的定轨表现,结果表明:该定轨方法与多点定位方法相比可以得到更高的定轨精度。     

适用于CEI的GEO卫星相时延解算方法及试验

为解决在实际航天任务中利用连线干涉测量(CEI)技术进行高精度GEO卫星定轨以及共位GEO卫星相对定位时面临的载波相位整周模糊度难题，提出了一种基于卫星下行信号的多弧段融合相位模糊度解算方法，它通过相邻多弧段载波相位值和窄带信号群时延值的融合处理可精确获得无模糊载波相时延观测量。对提出的方法进行了性能仿真和实际外场试验验证，结果表明：在20 km基线上，利用北斗GEO卫星的伪码测距信号和天链卫星的测控信号均成功实现了S频段解载波整周相位模糊，相时延测量精度优于0.1ns，对应GEO卫星定轨精度优于54 m。该方法在国内首次实现了在几十km基线量级上利用几百kHz窄带测控信号获得无模糊载波相时延，具有较好的工程应用前景。     

天基空间目标监视的短弧段定轨技术

利用两个短弧段的天基测角资料实现对空间目标的轨道确定是天基空间目标监视系统需解决的重要问题之一。提出利用二体轨道的角动量和能量守恒方程计算空间目标初轨的新方法,该方法将短弧段的主要测量信息表示为弧段属性,由两个短弧段的弧段属性建立守恒方程,采用变量替换法求解守恒方程获得多个初轨,通过方差分析从中选择合适的初轨。针对轨道改进中的迭代发散和收敛于局部极小点的问题,提出了选取多个迭代初值进行轨道改进的采样方法。仿真结果表明,初轨确定算法是可行的,轨道改进能成功解算最小二乘轨道。     

一种基于星载GNSS接收机的高轨卫星自主导航滤波算法

星载GNSS接收机在低轨卫星自主导航和精密定轨等应用领域已经显示了高精度、高自主性、不依赖地面支持等技术优势。对于高轨卫星应用，星载GNSS接收机面临一些新的挑战。由于需要接收来自地球另外一侧的GNSS旁瓣信号，使得用户等效测距误差和几何分布因子恶化，引起标准定位性能下降。特别的，对于只能使用GNSS广播星历的实时自主导航应用，GNSS广播星历引入了非白噪声特性的用户测距误差。其难以被经典的EKF滤波方法平滑，限制了自主导航定位精度。文章研究一种基于星载GNSS接收机的高轨卫星自主导航滤波算法，该算法使用增强扩展卡尔曼滤波器（Augmented EKF）融合轨道动力学模型与GNSS观测数据，并对GNSS广播星历引入的系统性误差进行动态估计以削弱其对最终导航定位的影响。最后，通过仿真平台进行了算法验证。仿真结果显示，使用单GPS可在GEO轨道达到优于10米（3D RMS）的导航定位精度。文章提出的方法达到与国际先进产品同等精度，可用于高轨卫星高精度自主导航。     

基于测距观测的静地卫星定轨精度分析

在卫星动力法定轨的协方差分析基础上,提出了一种针对地球静止轨道(GEO)卫星的简化定轨精度分析方法。根据GEO卫星的线性化状态转移方程,通过设定地面跟踪网坐标和卫星星下点经度计算叠加矩阵,由观测弧长和采样间隔直接计算定轨精度评定公式中的主要部分。公式扩展后,能比较各种系统误差源对定轨精度的影响,并将影响较大的作为附加参数纳入估计过程并重新评价定轨精度。用该法对10 m定轨精度的测距跟踪网优化设计和测距偏差对定轨精度的影响特性进行分析的结果表明,测量系统中的系统性误差可能以近20的放大倍率传播到卫星沿迹方向和法向,且不能通过自校准测距常值偏差提高定轨精度。     

地球同步轨道SAR曲线轨迹模型和成像算法研究

由于地球同步轨道合成孔径雷达(GEO SAR)轨道高度高,地球自转对其影响较为严重,其相对地球的运动变得更为复杂,低轨SAR中的直线轨迹模型已不能精确逼近其真实成像几何,基于该模型推导的成像算法也不再适用。针对这一问题,本文首先根据GEO SAR平台的运动特点,使用高阶逼近模型建立了适用于GEO SAR长合成孔径时间的斜距方程,并结合级数反演法,推导出该斜距方程下的二维频谱高阶近似表达式。在此基础上提出了一种二维频域成像算法并分析了其运算量。该算法所有操作都由快速傅里叶变换和相位点乘完成,具有较高的效率。点目标仿真结果表明本文斜距方程精度较高,该算法能实现GEO SAR全孔径高精度成像。     

天基照相跟踪空间碎片批处理轨道确定研究

随着国内外天基观测空间碎片研究的展开,文章提出了利用跟踪卫星的CCD(Charge
Coupled Device)相机对空间碎片进行轨道探测的方法,首先建立了CCD照相观测模型和基于 照相观测 的空间碎片批处理轨道确定模型。通过对CCD相机底片归算方法的分析可知,利用
CCD相机所获得的观测数据与跟踪卫星的姿态无关,且其精度只与测量和坐标转换计算的精 度有关,在测量和计算中可获得较高的精度。分别对分布密度较高的低轨道和地球同步 轨道区域的空间碎片进行了定轨分析。仿真结果表明,定轨时采用两个跟踪弧段的照相数据 定轨精度大大高于一个弧段照相数据的定轨精度;跟踪卫星距离空间碎片越近,定轨精度越 高;低轨道空间碎片的定轨精度高于地球同步轨道上的空间碎片定轨精度。
     

Design and development of correlation techniques to maintain a space surveillance system catalogue

A growing interest exists in a future, autonomous European Space Surveillance System (ESSS). Currently, most of the knowledge about Earth-orbiting space objects is based on information provided by the USASPACECOM. This paper presents the required initial orbit determination (IOD) and correlation techniques to process optical measurements. Former studies were focused on the handling of radar measurements, which are summarised with the aim of describing a global procedure for processing hybrid measurement types (combination of radar and optic data for catalogue maintenance). The introduction of manoeuvres are presented due to their importance in the space object catalogue maintenance.The detection of uncatalogued objects and the successful correlation of already catalogued objects involve two different tasks for telescopes: survey and tasking. Assumptions for both strategies are developed on the basis of the previous work developed at the University of Berne (see [T. Flohrer, T. Schildknecht, R. Musci, E. Stöveken, Performance estimation for GEO space surveillance, Advances in Space Research 35 (2005). [1]; T. Flohrer, T. Schildknecht, R. Musci, Proposed strategies for optical observations in a future European Space Surveillance Network, presented in the 36th COSPAR Scientific Assembly (2006). [2]; R. Musci, T. Schildknecht, M. Ploner, Orbit improvement for GEO objects using follow-up observations, Advances in Space Research 34 (2004). [3]; R. Musci, T. Schildknecht, M. Ploner, G. Beutler, Orbit improvement for GTO objects using follow-up observations, Advances in Space Research 35 (2005). [4]; R. Musci, T. Schildknecht, T. Flohrer, G. Beutler, Concept for a catalogue of space debris in GEO, Proceedings of the Fourth European Conference on Space Debris, (ESA SP-587, 2005). [5]]). When a new object appears in the field of view, initial orbit determination must be performed. When only one telescope per site is available, the initial measurements are separated by only a few seconds. Therefore, the initial orbit determination is quite inaccurate due to bad mathematical conditioning of the problem. In order to improve the accuracy of the initial orbit determination, several follow-up observations of the object are required. This implies that the telescope needs to track the detected objects over a long period, and therefore the time available for surveying is reduced. By processing the additional follow-up measurements, separated now by a few hours, the initial orbit determination gives more accurate results and the object can be recovered after an orbital revolution. When several telescopes per site are available, the optical strategies may be modified. The survey tasks can be distributed between the available telescopes. In this way the number of images corresponding to each object increases and to track the detected object over long periods is not always needed. Numerical results will be shown in order to evaluate the accuracy and features of the different telescope strategies. A key point for performing efficiently the cataloguing process is the calculation of the estimated state vector covariance matrix. The covariance matrix analysis allows an adaptive tasking-survey telescope scheduling. Moreover, the implementation of a proper batch orbit determination process by means of a square root information filter (SRIF) requires a realistic initial covariance matrix.Hybrid measurements are available from objects that can be observed through both radar and optical sensors (e.g. GTO objects). The batch orbit determination and correlation process of hybrid measurements is also based on SRIF using an extended measurement model. Both the initial orbit determination methods using radar and optical measurements have to be sufficiently accurate to initialise SRIF correctly. In order to avoid filter divergence, the estimated covariance must be correctly updated after processing both kinds of measurements. The implemented algorithms are explained and their performance is shown through realistic simulations.Techniques to detect and characterise object manoeuvres during the cataloguing process have been developed and implemented. Four main groups of manoeuvre objects have been established by means of their observed permitted orbital ranges (GEO, LEO, MEO–GPS, Molniya). The study is based on the historical TLEs files. When an object with an uncatalogued orbit appears, a comparison between the new orbit and the orbits contained in the permitted ranges of one of the manoeuvre groups is performed. If the required Δa and/or Δi to convert the lost orbit into the detected orbit seems to be feasible, a manoeuvre will be identified and the orbit will be updated in the catalogue. Otherwise, it will be decided that a new object was found. For this purpose, a procedure to estimate the manoeuvres and reset orbits have been developed.     

Ground assisted rendezvous with geosynchronous satellites for the disposal of space debris by means of Earth-oriented tethers

Previous studies have shown that extended length Earth-oriented tethers in the geosynchronous (GEO) region can be used to re-orbit satellites to disposal orbits. One such approach involves the extension of a GEO based tether, collection of a debris object, and retraction of the tether, which transfers the retracted configuration to a higher energy orbit for debris disposal. The re-extension of the tether after debris disposal returns the configuration to the near-GEO altitude. The practical feasibility of such a system depends on the ability to collect GEO debris objects, attach them to a deployed tether system, and retract the tethers for transfer to the disposal orbits.This study addresses the collection and delivery of debris objects to the deployed tether system in GEO. The investigation considers the number, type and the characteristics of the debris objects as well as the collection tug that can be ground controlled to detect, rendezvous and dock with the debris objects for their delivery to the tethers system.A total of more than 400 objects are in drift orbits crossing all longitudes either below or above the geostationary radius. More than 130 objects are also known to librate around the stable points in GEO with periods of libration up to five or more years. A characterization of the position and velocity of the debris objects relative to the collection tug is investigated. Typical rendezvous performance requirements for uncooperative GEO satellites are examined, and the similarities with other approaches such as the ESA's CX-OLEV commercial mission proposal to extend the life of geostationary telecommunication satellites are noted.     

Application of a Multiple Hypothesis Filter to near GEO high area-to-mass ratio space objects state estimation

Optical surveys have identified a class of high area-to-mass ratio (HAMR) objects in the vicinity of the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) regime. The nature of these objects is not well known, though their proximity to the GEO belt implies origins from space objects (SOs) near GEO. These HAMR objects pose a collision hazard as they transit through the vicinity of active GEO satellites. Due to their high area-to-mass ratios (AMRs), ranging from 0.1 to 20 m²/kg and higher, the effective solar radiation pressure perturbs their orbits significantly. Improvements in detection sensitivity will result in large numbers of uncorrelated tracks from surveys. A Multiple Hypothesis Filter (MHF) approach to the initial state estimation and track association provides a potentially automated and efficient approach to the processing of multiple un-correlated tracks.The availability of long-term optical angles data collected for a set of near GEO HAMR objects provides the means for testing candidate estimation processes such as the MHF. A baseline orbit determination (OD) process uses an Extended Kalman Filter/Smoother to manually estimate the 6 orbital elements and the effective area-to-mass ratio (AMR) which drives the solar radiation pressure perturbations on the orbital trajectories. In addition to allowing the characterization of the long-term behavior of the AMR, this process establishes a pseudo-truth trajectory to which the MHF analysis can be compared. An Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) is applied in the MHF estimation process to estimate the 6 orbital elements and AMR, with no a priori state assumptions, and the results are compared to the pseudo-truth results for validation.The work to be presented summarizes the UKF/MHF process and assesses state estimation performance based on selected data for selected near GEO HAMR objects having a range of AMR value and variations. The prediction accuracy is also assessed by comparing predictions derived from filter updates to segments of the pseudo-truth trajectory determined from data not included in the updates.     

Further analysis of infrared spectrophotometric observations of high area to mass ratio (HAMR) objects in GEO

Optical surveys have identified a class of high area-to-mass ratio (HAMR) objects in the vicinity of the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) ring^. The exact origin and nature of these objects are not well known, although their proximity to the GEO belt poses a hazard to active GEO satellites. The prevalent conjecture is that many of these objects may be thermal materials shed from derelict spacecraft in ‘graveyard’ orbits above the GEO ring. Due to their high area-to-mass ratios and unknown attitude dynamics and material characteristics, solar radiation pressure (SRP) perturbs their orbits in ways that makes it difficult to predict their orbital trajectories over periods of time exceeding a week or less. To better understand and track these objects and infer their origins, we have made observations that allow us to determine physical characteristics that will improve the non-conservative force modeling used for orbit determination (OD) and prediction. Information on their temperatures, areas, emissivities, and albedos may be obtained from thermal infrared and visible measurements. Simultaneous observations in the thermal infrared and visible wavelengths may allow disentangling of projected area, albedo, and object emissivity.Further analysis and modeling of observational data on certain of the HAMR objects collected at the AMOS observatory 3.6 m AEOS telescope are presented. The thermal-IR spectra of these geosynchronous orbit objects acquired by the Broadband Array Spectrograph System (BASS) span wavelengths 3 to 13 μm and constitute a unique data set, providing a means of measuring object fluxes in the infrared and visible wavelengths. These, in turn, allow temperatures and emissivity-area products to be calculated, and in some cases provide information on rotation rates. We compare our observational results with the outputs of simple models, in terms of visible and infrared flux and orbital characteristics. The resulting temperatures and rotation rates are used in SRP acceleration models to demonstrate improvements in OD and prediction performance relative to models which assume default ambient temperature and static attitude dynamics. Additionally, we have the capability and plans to measure material properties with the same instrument in the lab as used at the telescope to facilitate direct comparisons.     

Application of a Multiple Hypothesis Filter to near GEO high area-to-mass ratio space objects state estimation

Optical surveys have identified a class of high area-to-mass ratio (HAMR) objects in the vicinity of the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) regime. The nature of these objects is not well known, though their proximity to the GEO belt implies origins from space objects (SOs) near GEO. These HAMR objects pose a collision hazard as they transit through the vicinity of active GEO satellites. Due to their high area-to-mass ratios (AMRs), ranging from 0.1 to 20 m²/kg and higher, the effective solar radiation pressure perturbs their orbits significantly. Improvements in detection sensitivity will result in large numbers of uncorrelated tracks from surveys. A Multiple Hypothesis Filter (MHF) approach to the initial state estimation and track association provides a potentially automated and efficient approach to the processing of multiple un-correlated tracks.The availability of long-term optical angles data collected for a set of near GEO HAMR objects provides the means for testing candidate estimation processes such as the MHF. A baseline orbit determination (OD) process uses an Extended Kalman Filter/Smoother to manually estimate the 6 orbital elements and the effective area-to-mass ratio (AMR) which drives the solar radiation pressure perturbations on the orbital trajectories. In addition to allowing the characterization of the long-term behavior of the AMR, this process establishes a pseudo-truth trajectory to which the MHF analysis can be compared. An Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) is applied in the MHF estimation process to estimate the 6 orbital elements and AMR, with no a priori state assumptions, and the results are compared to the pseudo-truth results for validation.The work to be presented summarizes the UKF/MHF process and assesses state estimation performance based on selected data for selected near GEO HAMR objects having a range of AMR value and variations. The prediction accuracy is also assessed by comparing predictions derived from filter updates to segments of the pseudo-truth trajectory determined from data not included in the updates.     

On the arc length of observations of a small solar system body sufficient to classify it as hazardous

This paper analyzes the accuracy of orbit determination calculated by observations of short arcs. In this case, we imposed the condition that the arc length and/or the distribution of arc observations should provide a confident classification of the orbit of a small celestial body allowing one to distinguish a potentially hazardous body, also including a threat of collision.     

A Geosynchronous Orbit Search Strategy

Since more than 10 years there is evidence that small-size space debris is accumulating in the geosynchronous orbit (GEO), probably as the result of breakups. Two break-ups have been reported in GEO. The 1978 break-up of an EKRAN 2 satellite, SSN 10365, was identified in 1992, and in 1992 a Titan 3C Transtage, SSN 3432, break-up produced at least twenty observable pieces. Subsequently several nations performed optical surveys of the GEO region in the form of independent observation campaigns. Such surveys suffer from the fact that the field of view of optical telescopes is small compared with the total area covered by the GEO ring. As a consequence only a small volume of the orbital element-magnitude-space is covered by each individual survey. Results from these surveys are thus affected by observational biases and therefore difficult to compare. This paper describes the development of a common search strategy to overcome these limitations. The strategy optimizes the sampling for objects in orbits similar to the orbits of the known GEO population but does not exclude the detection of objects with other orbital planes. A properly designed common search strategy clearly eases the comparison of results from different groups and the extrapolation from the sparse (biased) samples to the entire GEO environment.