InfraRed Astronomy Satellite Swarm Interferometry (IRASSI): Overview and study results

The far-infrared (FIR) regime is one of the few wavelength ranges where no astronomical data with sub-arcsecond spatial resolution exist yet. Neither of the medium-term satellite projects like SPICA, Millimetron or OST will resolve this malady. For many research areas, however, information at high spatial and spectral resolution in the FIR, taken from atomic fine-structure lines, from highly excited carbon monoxide (CO) and especially from water lines would open the door for transformative science. These demands call for interferometric concepts. We present here first results of our feasibility study IRASSI (Infrared Astronomy Satellite Swarm Interferometry) for an FIR space interferometer. Extending on the principal concept of the previous study ESPRIT, it features heterodyne interferometry within a swarm of five satellite elements. The satellites can drift in and out within a range of several hundred meters, thereby achieving spatial resolutions of <0.1 arcsec over the whole wavelength range of 1–6 THz. Precise knowledge on the baselines will be ensured by metrology methods employing laser-based optical frequency combs, for which preliminary ground-based tests have been designed by members of our study team. We first give a motivation on how the science requirements translate into operational and design parameters for IRASSI. Our consortium has put much emphasis on the navigational aspects of such a free-flying swarm of satellites operating in relatively close vicinity. We hence present work on the formation geometry, the relative dynamics of the swarm, and aspects of our investigation towards attitude estimation. Furthermore, we discuss issues regarding the real-time capability of the autonomous relative positioning system, which is an important aspect for IRASSI where, due to the large raw data rates expected, the interferometric correlation has to be done onboard, in quasi-real-time. We also address questions regarding the spacecraft architecture and how a first thermomechanical model is used to study the effect of thermal perturbations on the spacecraft. This will have implications for the necessary internal calibration of the local tie between the laser metrology and the phase centres of the science signals and will ultimately affect the accuracy of the baseline estimations.     

Optimal spacecraft formation establishment and reconfiguration propelled by the geomagnetic Lorentz force

The Lorentz force acting on an electrostatically charged spacecraft as it moves through the planetary magnetic field could be utilized as propellantless electromagnetic propulsion for orbital maneuvering, such as spacecraft formation establishment and formation reconfiguration. By assuming that the Earth’s magnetic field could be modeled as a tilted dipole located at the center of Earth that corotates with Earth, a dynamical model that describes the relative orbital motion of Lorentz spacecraft is developed. Based on the proposed dynamical model, the energy-optimal open-loop trajectories of control inputs, namely, the required specific charges of Lorentz spacecraft, for Lorentz-propelled spacecraft formation establishment or reconfiguration problems with both fixed and free final conditions constraints are derived via Gauss pseudospectral method. The effect of the magnetic dipole tilt angle on the optimal control inputs and the relative transfer trajectories for formation establishment or reconfiguration is also investigated by comparisons with the results derived from a nontilted dipole model. Furthermore, a closed-loop integral sliding mode controller is designed to guarantee the trajectory tracking in the presence of external disturbances and modeling errors. The stability of the closed-loop system is proved by a Lyapunov-based approach. Numerical simulations are presented to verify the validity of the proposed open-loop control methods and demonstrate the performance of the closed-loop controller. Also, the results indicate the dipole tilt angle should be considered when designing control strategies for Lorentz-propelled spacecraft formation establishment or reconfiguration.     

The pinhole/occulter facility

The Pinhole/Occulter Facility concept uses a remote occulting mask to provide high resolution observations of the solar corona and of astronomical X-ray sources. With coded-aperture and Fourier-transform techniques, the Pinhole/Occulter makes images at a resolution of 0.2 arc sec for 2 - 120 keV X-rays, using a 50-m boom erected from the payload bay of the Space Shuttle or mounted on a free-flying platform. The remote occulter also creates a large shadow area for solar coronal observations; the Pinhole/Occulter concept includes separate optical and ultraviolet telescopes with 50-cm apertures. These large telescopes will provide a new order of resolution and sensitivity for diagnostic observations of faint structures in the solar corona. The Pinhole/Occulter is a powerful and versatile tool for general-purpose X-ray astronomy, with excellent performance in a broad spectral band complementary to that accessible with AXAF. The large collecting area of 1.5 m² results in a 5σ detection threshold of about 0.02 μJy for the 2 - 10 keV band, or about 10^?5 ph(cm²sec keV)^?1 at 20 keV.     

大型空间站航天员出舱条件及相对运动轨迹

应用航天器近距离相对运动动力学方程,在计及空间站尺寸的条件下,研究了大型空间站航天员出舱条件及相对运动轨迹。研究表明, 当航天员在空间站的上、下表面或前表面下方、后表面上方时, 如果没有约束, 将发生自由漂移,其相对运动的轨道平面内模态为中心漂移的椭圆; 如果航天员在相应的位置上有动力 （主动） 出舱, 其相对运动的轨道平面内模态可以为直线、定常椭圆和中心漂移的椭圆, 这与把空间站简化为质点时的结果有本质差别, 因此不能再将空间站视为质点。通过改变航天员的离舱点和离舱速度, 可以改变出舱相对运动轨迹,以满足一定的舱外活动要求     

一类禁飞区后方安全撤离轨迹的设计方法研究

对交会对接过程中目标航天器后方的一类安全撤离轨迹进行研究，针对长方形禁飞区提出两类撤离模式，并分析与禁飞区最可能相交的点的特征，通过两个定理给出这两类撤离模式自由漂移轨迹安全的充分必要条件．最后针对实际问题提出撤离方案，给出两组仿真算例，仿真结果验证了撤离方法的正确性和撤离方案的可行性．     

Multi-objective optimal formation reconfiguration with scalarization and stochastic boundaries

A new method is proposed for multi-objective optimal control of satellite formation reconfiguration. First, necessary optimality conditions of single-objective fuel-optimal reconfiguration are studied. Problem of initial guess of the costate and control discontinuity are addressed by using a new developed stochastic based method. Terminal conditions of Two Point Boundary Value Problem (TPBVP) of the optimal control equations are relaxed using augmented Gaussian. Variances or bandwidths of the terminal conditions are set to decision variables to be optimized. Responses of varied initial costate are modeled and propagated using Riccati equation. Using quadratic convolution of relaxed terminal conditions, objective function of the fuel-optimal problem is reformulated into a quadratic equation, and a gradient based optimizer is used to search the optimal initial guess. In the second part of the paper, optimal control of format flying reconfiguration with two competitive objectives:fuel and time of flight (ToF) is studied. With Pascoletti-Serafini scalarization, the Multi-objective Optimal Control Problem (MOCP) is scalarized into a set of weighted Single-objective Optimal Control Problems (SOCP). Hamiltonian and switch function for the weighted SOCP are developed and constructed. New developed stochastic based approach is then used to search the optimal Pareto solutions. Verification and performances of proposed algorithms are demonstrated through numerical simulations of single-objective and multi-objective optimal control of low-thrust elliptical orbit formation reconfiguration. Potential applications of the algorithms to some other preliminary space mission designs are also discussed.     

A Cosmic Microscope to Probe the Universe from Present to Cosmic Dawn:Dual-element Lowfrequency Space VLBI Observatory

A space-based Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) program, named as the Cosmic Microscope, is proposed to involve dual VLBI telescopes in the space working together with giant ground-based telescopes (e.g., Square Kilometre Array, FAST, Arecibo) to image the low radio frequency Universe with the purpose of unraveling the compact structure of cosmic constituents including supermassive black holes and binaries, pulsars, astronomical masers and the underlying source, and exoplanets amongst others. The operational frequency bands are 30, 74, 330 and 1670 MHz, supporting broad science areas. The mission plans to launch two 30-m-diameter radio telescopes into 2 000 km×90 000 km elliptical orbits. The two telescopes can work in flexibly diverse modes. (i) Space-ground VLBI. The maximum space-ground baseline length is about 100 000 km; it provides a high-dynamic-range imaging capacity with unprecedented high resolutions at low frequencies (0.3 mas at 1.67 GHz and 20 mas at 30 MHz) enabling studies of exoplanets and supermassive black hole binaries (which emit nanoHz gravitational waves). (ii) Space-space single-baseline VLBI. This unique baseline enables the detection of flaring hydroxyl masers, and more precise position measurement of pulsars and radio transients at mas level. (iii) Single dish mode, where each telescope can be used to monitor transient bursts and rapidly trigger follow-up VLBI observations. The large space telescope will also contribute in measuring and constraining the total angular power spectrum from the Epoch of Reionization. In short, the Cosmic Microscope offers astronomers the opportunity to conduct novel, frontier science.      

Solar-B

Following the successful Yohkoh satellite which is continuously operating since August 1991, the solar physics community in Japan is now preparing for a Japan's next solar physics mission, Solar-B, whose primary objective is to study the connection of the dynamics and heating in the solar corona with the magnetic field at the solar surface. Solar-B will carry a medium-sized optical telescope with capability of measuring vector magnetic fields at the solar surface, together with two X-ray/EUV imaging telescopes capable of measuring the dynamics and physical conditions of hot plasma in the solar corona. These telescopes are prepared under the international collaborations with U.S.A. (NASA) and U.K. (PPARC). ISAS schedules to launch Solar-B as its 22nd science satellite in summer 2005. The Solar-B program is now in the proto-model manifacture/test phase and the baseline design of the satellite as well as the three telescopes is defined.     

Research by the Tasmanian cosmic ray group during the International Geophysical Year

Systematic recording of the cosmic radiation commenced in Hobart in 1946 and at Mawson in Antarctica in 1955, making these two of the longest running cosmic ray observatories in the world. For the IGY, observations were also made at a sub-Antarctic island and near the equator, and an airborne survey of the nucleonic component was made from Geomagnetic Latitude −60°, south of Australia, to Japan and back. At Hobart there were neutron monitors, vertical and inclined muon telescopes, an ionization chamber, and two muon telescopes at ∼40 m of water equivalent underground. The research based on these and other observations determined the energy dependence of the Forbush and 11-year variations and concentrated, in particular, on understanding the anisotropic nature of galactic cosmic rays up to 150 GeV; the anisotropies in the onset phase of Forbush decreases; and the anisotropies in solar cosmic ray events. An investigation was initiated to calculate the trajectories and cutoff rigidities of cosmic rays in a high order simulation of the geomagnetic field. This was completed in 1959–60.     

面向海洋机动目标跟踪监视的卫星重构组网优化与仿真

摘要： 针对海洋机动目标跟踪监视问题，提出通过卫星相位重构调整进行机动目标搜索跟踪的监视策略，构建地理坐标系下机动目标航位预测模型及基于霍曼转移的卫星调相组网方式，并采用NSGA II算法进行优化求解，对比分析卫星重构组网前后的机动目标发现概率.仿真结果表明：在卫星能量消耗允许范围内进行重构组网，能够有效提升对机动目标的发现概率，为海洋机动目标的搜索跟踪问题提供了一定的方法支持.     

A guidance approach to satellite formation reconfiguration based on convex optimization and genetic algorithms

This paper presents a new approach for autonomous reconfiguration of distributed space systems, which ensures safe guidance of spacecraft formations towards the desired patterns while optimizing the total propellant consumption. The orbital transfer is reduced to the form of a convex optimization problem to guarantee rapid computation of control laws. Hence, tasks are iteratively assigned to the component platforms to detect the best reconfiguration strategy. The path-planning is entrusted to a reference satellite of the cluster, that coordinates the remaining ones by means of a procedure based on genetic algorithms. Two methods are proposed, depending on the organizational architecture of the spacecraft formation. In the first one, the maneuver is completely planned by the reference satellite, that determines final tasks and control actions for the whole cluster. As an alternative to such a fully-centralized approach, a distributed version of the algorithm is proposed: tasks are sorted by the reference satellite and transfer orbits are computed by exploiting the computational resources of the whole cluster. Whatever the considered framework, both the planners ensure a safe transition of the formation towards the target geometry. Simulation results show that, when relative distances are of the order of hundreds of meters, a mean delta-v per satellite of the order of 0.1 m/s is required to reconfigure LEO clusters within one orbital period.     

基于RQPSO-DMPC的多无人机编队自主重构控制方法

针对敌方防御区域内各种威胁,为了实现隐蔽突防并实施对敌有效打击,在突防过程中多无人机(UAV)编队需要进行重构控制,并且编队内的相互避碰问题与通信约束问题也需考虑。通过建立无人机虚拟领航编队模型并引入邻居集,采用分布式模型预测控制(DMPC)同时构建多无人机编队的重构代价函数,提出采用改进量子粒子群优化(RQPSO)算法进行求解,并将求解结果与采用粒子群优化算法的结果进行对比。仿真结果表明,本文算法能够有效控制多无人机编队完成自主重构,实现安全隐蔽突防任务。     

基于代理模型的卫星编队重构最短距离建模

针对编队卫星成员数量较多时,编队重构规划考虑碰撞规避会带来的巨大的计算开销。为降低计算开销和提升优化效率,基于CW方程和双脉冲轨道机动策略,建立了能够快速预测编队卫星重构过程最短距离的多种代理模型,并基于三种大小不同的训练集,从模型精度和效率两方面进行了对比。结果表明,克里金（KRG）模型在各种代理模型中精度最高,而且随着训练量的增加,克里金和人工神经网络（ANN）模型的性能得到了明显改善,模型精度有一定的保证。研究还发现,尽管KRG模型预测时间高于其他代理模型,但和真实模型相比,其耗时仍然很短,因此可用于提高考虑避碰约束时卫星编队重构轨迹优化的效率。     

Goddard Robotic Telescope – Optical follow-up of GRBs and coordinated observations of AGNs

Since it is not possible to predict when a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) will occur or when Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) flaring activity starts, follow-up/monitoring ground telescopes must be located as uniformly as possible all over the world in order to collect data simultaneously with Fermi and Swift detections. However, there is a distinct gap in follow-up coverage of telescopes in the eastern U.S. region based on the operations of Swift. Motivated by this fact, we have constructed a 14″ fully automated optical robotic telescope, Goddard Robotic Telescope (GRT), at the Goddard Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory. The aims of our robotic telescope are (1) to follow-up Swift/Fermi GRBs and (2) to perform the coordinated optical observations of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) AGN. Our telescope system consists of off-the-shelf hardware. With the focal reducer, we are able to match the field of view of Swift narrow instruments (20′ × 20′). We started scientific observations in mid-November 2008 and GRT has been fully remotely operated since August 2009. The 3σ upper limit in a 30 s exposure in the R filter is ∼15.4 mag; however, we can reach to ∼18 mag in a 600 s exposures. Due to the weather condition at the telescope site, our observing efficiency is 30–40% on average.     

基于模块化的缠绕机设计方法

缠绕机具有生产效率高、产品质量稳定等特点,是碳纤维复合材料成型的关键工艺装备。针对产品小批量、定制化的生产需求,提出了针对缠绕机结构和控制系统的模块化设计方法（MDM）,拓展缠绕机的功能多样性。将缠绕机的结构部件进行功能分解和关联强度分析,采用组遗传算法（GGA）将部件聚类为标准化的模块,根据产品需求,以产品性能最好和成本最低为目标建立模块配置模型,基于快速分类的非支配遗传算法（NSGA-Ⅱ）求解多目标优化模型完成机械结构模块化配置。提出基于现场总线的分布式网络控制器结构,将控制器的接口标准化和网络化,根据机械结构的模块化配置实现控制器的快速重构。基于模型组件对象（COM）技术将软件模块设计为COM组件,采用k近邻（kNN）方法进行控制模式分类,并进行COM组件的重构,控制软件动态解析控制模式并管理COM组件的状态转移关系,从而实现软件的快速重构。对结构、控制器和软件模块化方法的研究能够实现缠绕机的快速重构,拓展缠绕机的功能。      

Application of CCD drift-scan photoelectric technique on monitoring GEO satellites

Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites are widely used because of their unique characteristics of high-orbit and remaining permanently in the same area of the sky. Precise monitoring of GEO satellites can provide a key reference for the judgment of satellite operation status, the capture and identification of targets, and the analysis of collision warning. The observation using ground-based optical telescopes plays an important role in the field of monitoring GEO targets. Different from distant celestial bodies, there is a relative movement between the GEO target and the background reference stars, which makes the conventional observation method limited for long focal length telescopes. CCD drift-scan photoelectric technique is applied on monitoring GEO targets. In the case of parking the telescope, the good round images of the background reference stars and the GEO target at the same sky region can be obtained through the alternating observation of CCD drift-scan mode and CCD stare mode, so as to improve the precision of celestial positioning for the GEO target. Observation experiments of GEO targets were carried out with 1.56-meter telescope of Shanghai Astronomical Observatory. The results show that the application of CCD drift-scan photoelectric technique makes the precision of observing the GEO target reach the level of 0.2″, which gives full play to the advantage of the long focal length of the telescope. The effect of orbit improvement based on multi-pass of observations is obvious and the prediction precision of extrapolating to 72-h is in the order of several arc seconds in azimuth and elevation.     

近地小行星2016HO3表面温度建模研究

2019年4月18日,中国国家航天局(CNSA)公布了小行星探测计划,将近地小行星2016HO3作为探测任务目标之一。主要梳理了2016HO3热环境分析的要素,通过调研国际上目前观测数据,得到2016HO3的初步环境参数,使用近地小行星热模型(NEATM)与小行星热物理模型(TPM)开展了小行星2016HO3表面温度场建模与分析,综合得出小行星温度上限为412 K;同时结合其可能的自转条件,仿真分析了不同位置的昼夜温差变化特性,发现2016HO3最大温差大约为30 K。由于两个模型均不能直接处理极夜情况,在TPM模型基础上采用对自转周期光照进行平均思路,给出了极夜条件下的温度分析方法,并获得小行星2016HO3的温度下限。     

翼型湍流尾缘噪声半经验预测公式改进

改进了传统的翼型湍流边界层尾缘噪声BPM半经验预测公式。传统的BPM半经验湍流边界层尾缘噪声预测公式对高攻角和厚翼型在高频范围的预测结果大于实验结果,通过分析比较传统BPM半经验预测公式和Howe翼型尾缘噪声理论模型发现:这主要是由于传统BPM半经验预测公式对压力面声源噪声辐射高估引起的。因此将压力面声源噪声辐射与吸力面声源噪声辐射的幅值比由原来的边界层位移厚度一次方比值改进为二次方比值,进而得到了改进后的BPM半经验预测公式;使用改进后的BPM半经验预测公式对NACA0012翼型在不同来流不同攻角下的噪声辐射进行了预测比较,发现对于NACA0012翼型,改进后的BPM半经验预测公式具有较高精度;另外也预测了较厚的风力机翼型DU-96-W-180,预测结果明显改善。     

Integrated orbit and attitude hardware-in-the-loop simulations for autonomous satellite formation flying

Development and experiment of an integrated orbit and attitude hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulator for autonomous satellite formation flying are presented. The integrated simulator system consists of an orbit HIL simulator for orbit determination and control, and an attitude HIL simulator for attitude determination and control. The integrated simulator involves four processes (orbit determination, orbit control, attitude determination, and attitude control), which interact with each other in the same way as actual flight processes do. Orbit determination is conducted by a relative navigation algorithm using double-difference GPS measurements based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Orbit control is performed by a state-dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) technique that is utilized as a nonlinear controller for the formation control problem. Attitude is determined from an attitude heading reference system (AHRS) sensor, and a proportional-derivative (PD) feedback controller is used to control the attitude HIL simulator using three momentum wheel assemblies. Integrated orbit and attitude simulations are performed for a formation reconfiguration scenario. By performing the four processes adequately, the desired formation reconfiguration from a baseline of 500–1000 m was achieved with meter-level position error and millimeter-level relative position navigation. This HIL simulation demonstrates the performance of the integrated HIL simulator and the feasibility of the applied algorithms in a real-time environment. Furthermore, the integrated HIL simulator system developed in the current study can be used as a ground-based testing environment to reproduce possible actual satellite formation operations.