Evolution of the Orbit of an Earth Satellite with a Solar Sail

The efficiency of using the light pressure of solar radiation for increasing the semimajor axis of the orbit of an Earth Satellite carrying a solar sail is estimated. The orbit is nearly circular and has an altitude of about 900 km. The satellite is in the mode of single-axis solar orientation: it rotates at an angular velocity of 1 deg/s around the axis of symmetry, which traces the direction to the Sun. This mode is maintained by the solar sail, which serves in this case as a solar stabilizer. The following method of increasing the semimajor axis of the orbit (which is equivalent to increasing the total energy of the satellite's orbital motion) is considered. On those sections of the orbit, where the angle between the light pressure force acting upon the sail and the vector of geocentric velocity of the satellite does not exceed a specified limit, the sail is functioning as a solar stabilizer. On those sections of the orbit, where the above-indicated angle exceeds this limit, the sail is furled by way of turning the edges of the petals towards the Sun. Such a control increases the semimajor axis by more than 150 km for three months of flight. In this case, the accuracy of solar orientation decreases insignificantly.     

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.     

Realization of modes of satellite attitude motion with a small level of microaccelerations using electromechanical executive devices

Quasi-static microaccelerations are estimated for a satellite specially designed to perform space experiments in the field of microgravity. Three modes of attitude motion of the spacecraft are considered: passive gravitational orientation, orbital orientation, and semi-passive gravitational orientation. In these modes the lengthwise axis of the satellite is directed along the local vertical, while solar arrays lie in the orbit plane. The second and third modes are maintained using electromechanical executive devices: flywheel engines or gyrodynes. Estimations of residual microaccelerations are performed with the help of mathematical modeling of satellite’s attitude motion under the action of gravitational and aerodynamic moments, as well as the moment produced by the gyro system. It is demonstrated that all modes ensure rather low level of quasi-static microaccelerations on the satellite and provide for a fairly narrow region of variation for the vector of residual microacceleration. The semi-passive gravitational orientation ensures also a limited proper angular momentum of the gyro system.     

航天器柔性太阳翼最优PPF主动振动抑制方法

针对采用可变速控制力矩陀螺(VSCMG)进行柔性太阳翼振动抑制问题，提出一种基于求解非光滑 H∞ 综合问题的最优参数正位置反馈(PPF)控制方法。首先，建立考虑VSCMG和柔性太阳翼耦合的振动模型，得到了线性化的约束陀螺柔性板动力学模型，基于同位控制思想推导了以角度陀螺为测量装置的约束陀螺柔性板全阶状态空间模型。针对被控对象特性，确定最优PPF控制器的结构构型和待优化参数。进而，通过对约束陀螺柔性板全阶状态空间模型进行降阶、修正和加权处理，将PPF控制器参数优化问题转化为在PPF控制器构型约束条件下的非光滑H∞综合问题，并应用一阶下降算法进行寻优求解，实现最优PPF控制器的设计。该方法能够实现对各阶陀螺模态的独立控制，在保证快速性和鲁棒性的前提下，实现最优PPF参数的稳定高效求解。仿真结果表明，所提出的最优PPF控制方法能够快速、鲁棒地实现航天器柔性太阳翼的主动振动抑制。     

太阳帆航天器移位轨道设计

研究了太阳帆日心移位轨道的稳定性、控制律设计及轨道拼接。将柱坐标形式的太阳帆动力学方程在参考移位轨道附近线性化,得到线性变分方程。分析线性变分方程的特征值在复数平面上的位置就可以得到移位轨道的稳定性条件。设计了太阳帆日心移位轨道的控制律,并证明了控制律满足稳定性条件。该控制律仅要求太阳帆在移位轨道飞行时姿态角α保持不变。此外,太阳帆移位轨道可以与开普勒轨道相互转化,也可以与移位轨道之间相互拼接。     

Modes of uncontrolled rotational motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Progress M-29M</Emphasis> spacecraft

We have reconstructed the uncontrolled rotational motion of the Progress M-29M transport cargo spacecraft in the single-axis solar orientation mode (the so-called sunward spin) and in the mode of the gravitational orientation of a rotating satellite. The modes were implemented on April 3–7, 2016 as a part of preparation for experiments with the DAKON convection sensor onboard the Progress spacecraft. The reconstruction was performed by integral statistical techniques using the measurements of the spacecraft’s angular velocity and electric current from its solar arrays. The measurement data obtained in a certain time interval have been jointly processed using the least-squares method by integrating the equations of the spacecraft’s motion relative to the center of mass. As a result of processing, the initial conditions of motion and parameters of the mathematical model have been estimated. The motion in the sunward spin mode is the rotation of the spacecraft with an angular velocity of 2.2 deg/s about the normal to the plane of solar arrays; the normal is oriented toward the Sun or forms a small angle with this direction. The duration of the mode is several orbit passes. The reconstruction has been performed over time intervals of up to 1 h. As a result, the actual rotational motion of the spacecraft relative to the Earth–Sun direction was obtained. In the gravitational orientation mode, the spacecraft was rotated about its longitudinal axis with an angular velocity of 0.1–0.2 deg/s; the longitudinal axis executed small oscillated relative to the local vertical. The reconstruction of motion relative to the orbital coordinate system was performed in time intervals of up to 7 h using only the angularvelocity measurements. The measurements of the electric current from solar arrays were used for verification.     

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.     

一种提高太阳能帆板受晒效率方法

为提高航天器空间太阳能利用率,提出了一种可实现帆板对日定向功能的改进太阳能帆板双自由度驱动机构。根据航天器的轨道理论推导出在对日定向要求下太阳能帆板的运动规律和机构的运动轨迹,并给出了双自由度驱动机构的轨迹规划和驱动轴实时转角。仿真结果表明:用该法能实现帆板的对日定向,提高其受晒效率,对未来航天器太阳能帆板驱动机构设计与控制有一定的参考价值。     

One method of gravitational attitude control of a rotating satellite

The mode of spinning up a low-orbit satellite in the plane of its orbit is studied. In this mode, the satellite rotates around its longitudinal axis (principal central axis of the minimum moment of inertia), which executes small oscillations with respect to the normal to the orbit plane; the angular velocity of the rotation around the longitudinal axis is several tenths of a degree per second. Gravitational and restoring aerodynamic moments were taken into account in the equations of satellite’s motion, as well as a dissipative moment from eddy currents induced in the shell of the satellite by the Earth’s magnetic field. A small parameter characterizing deviation of the satellite from a dynamically symmetric shape and nongravitational external moments are introduced into the equations. A two-dimensional integral surface of the equations of motion, describing quasistationary rotations of the satellite close to cylindrical precession of the corresponding symmetrical satellite in a gravitational field, has been studied by the method of small parameter and numerically. We propose to consider such quasistationary rotations as unperturbed motions of the satellite in the spin-up mode.     

地球同步卫星远地点变轨期间的三轴姿态稳定

本文提供了地球同步三轴稳定卫星在远地点变轨机动过程中的卫星动力学模型,其中考虑了刚体、液体晃动和帆板振动的耦合,这些模型经过实际工程验证,证明是正确的。本文还给出了控制器结构,它由PID和各种晃动滤波器及帆板挠性滤波器组成。工程设计证明,这种控制器结构可满足设计要求且简单可靠。本文还给出了系统稳定性分析结果及数字仿真结果。     

帆板及其支撑系统简化模型的动力学特性的试验和分析

本文以空间站的太阳帆板及其支撑系统作为对象,作了简化模型的试验和理论分析,以研究该系统在空间站因姿态调整。轨道机动及其他原因干扰下的动力学特性。结果表明,由于这种系统属于大型柔性空间系统,存在着惯性非线性耦合,当存在内部谐振关系时,随着干扰力辐值的增加,系统的动力学特性也将产生急剧的变化。这种变化呈现出非线性特征,相互耦合的振型同时被激发。这种振辐的剧增将给柔性结构的形状保持和振动控制带来困难。     

万有引力场中带挠性太阳帆板航天器的姿态稳定性

本文讨论带双侧挠性太阳帆板航天器在万有引力场中的姿态运动，建立带挠性帆板航天器的欧拉方程和帆板强迫振动方程。利用Ｇａｌｅｒｋｉｎ方法对动力学方程离散化，利用Ｋｅｌｖｉｎ－Ｔａｉｔ－Ｃｈｅｔａｙｅｖ定量判断航天器在轨道坐标系内相对平衡的稳定性。导出适用于任意阶模态的解析形式稳定性充分条件。     

太阳帆绕地球周期轨道研究

  地球同步和太阳同步卫星在各个领域有着广泛的应用。静止轨道是一种特殊的地球同步轨道,轨道资源有限。利用化学推进或电推进可以实现轨道高度不同的同步轨道,如悬挂轨道,但需要消耗较多的燃料,工程上无法承受。本文考虑利用太阳帆实现地球同步和太阳同步轨道。太阳光压力在轨道平面内沿拱线方向,选择光压力与平面的夹角使得轨道平面的旋转速率与太阳光同步。研究表明,设计合适的半长轴和偏心率可以使得轨道旋转速率与地球自转速率一致。假设太阳光与赤道平面平行,可以得到准静止轨道,太阳帆将在传统静止轨道的附近运动,星下点的经度将在一个固定值附近振动。实际上太阳光是与黄道面平行,黄道面与赤道面之间存在夹角。考虑黄赤交角的情况下,太阳帆将在一定纬度和经度范围内运动。适合于对某个区域进行长期观测任务。     

Environmental effects on the dynamics and control of an orbiting large flexible antenna system

The environmental effects on a proposed large flexible space structure, namely, the Hoop/Column antenna system are studied. Mathematical models for the disturbances resulting from the interaction of solar radiation pressure with the vibrating and also thermally deformed antenna structure are developed. Expressions for the stabilizing gravity-gradient torques are also obtained. The uncontrolled transient response of the antenna system shows that the structure may tumble in orbit due to the expected disturbances. Linear quadratic regulator techniques are used to develop control laws for the actuators which could provide both shape and orientation control. The controlled response of the system is simulated for various initial conditions. The steady state rms pointing accuracy and the antenna surface accuracy are met in all the cases considered here. In order to reduce the control effort required to maintain the shape and orientation, the thermal deformations will have to be minimized. In the preliminary design of the system, materials should be considered which have a higher thermal conductivity and a lower coefficient of linear expansion, within cost constraints.     

航天器喷气姿态机动分力合成抑制模态选取准则

针对利用喷气执行机构实现航天器姿态机动时柔性附件的振动抑制问题,以期望的姿态指向精度及稳定度为约束,提出了需要抑制的系统模态阶次选取准则。仿真验证模型由绕单轴旋转的中心刚体及柔性附件组成,应用拉格朗日法建立适用于不同附件位置的系统动力学方程,利用准则设计了常幅值分力合成控制力矩。仿真结果验证了所提出准则的有效性,并表明：在姿态机动前若能适当调整柔性附件的位置,将便于分力合成控制器设计,易于获得较高的姿态指向精度及稳定度,且利于减少喷气次数。     

Modal control of the planar motion of a long flexible beam in orbit

Attitude control techniques for the pointing and stabilization of very large, inherently flexible spacecraft systems are investigated. The attitude dynamics and control of a long, homogeneous flexible beam whose center of mass is assumed to follow a circular orbit is analyzed. In this study, first order effects of gravity-gradient are included, whereas external perturbations and related orbital station keeping maneuvers are neglected. A mathematical model which describes the system deflections within the orbital plane has been developed by treating the beam as having a maximum of three discretized mass particles connected by massless, elastic structural elements. The uncontrolled dynamics of this system are simulated and, in addition, the effects of the control devices are considered. The concept of distributed modal control, which provides a means for controlling a system mode independently of all other modes, is examined. The effect of varying the number of modes in the model as well as the number and location of the control devices are also considered.     

Single-Axis Solar Orientation of a Satellite of the Earth

The possibility of using the mode of single-axis solar orientation is considered for a satellite placed into a nearly circular orbit with an altitude of 900 km and bearing a solar sail. The satellite (together with the sail) has an axisymmetric structure, its symmetry axis being the principal central axis of the maximum moment of inertia. The center of the sail pressure lies on this axis and is displaced with respect to the satellite's center of mass. The symmetry axis of the satellite is set to the Sun so that its center of mass would be located between the Sun and the pressure center and would rotate around this axis with an angular velocity of a few degrees per second. The satellite's axis of symmetry makes a slow precession under the action of the gravitational moment and the moment of light pressure forces. Though the maximum magnitudes of these moments are comparable, the moment of the light pressure forces dominates and controls the precession in such a way that the symmetry axis orientation to the Sun remains unchanged.     

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.     

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.     

超大柔性空间结构姿态振动耦合稳定性分析

针对太阳帆塔等细长结构的空间太阳能电站构型，以圆轨道内平面运动的空间柔性梁为研究对象，在质心浮动坐标系下，基于Hamilton原理建立了姿态运动与弯曲振动的耦合动力学模型。引入简谐形式的姿态运动假设，并验证了假设的合理性。基于此假设，分析了姿态运动与重力梯度对弯曲振动的第一阶频率的影响，重力梯度项的影响为简谐波动形式，而姿态运动使得弯曲振动频率降低，两者作用均随初始姿态角增大而增强。同时，推导了Mathieu方程形式的模态振动方程，并利用小参数摄动分析方法，得到了不同初始姿态角下的弯曲振动的稳定图，发现当初始姿态角越大时不稳定区域就越大。