全球卫星搜索与救援系统的现状与未来

全球卫星搜救系统(COSPAS-SARSAT)在海事搜救和飞机救援等领域已经发挥了巨大的作用。文章旨在对已有的低轨道(LEO)和静止轨道(GEO)系统的工作原理进行分析,并与建设中的中轨道(MEO)系统比较,以得出中轨道系统的优势,并对全球卫星搜救系统的未来发展进行分析。     

长征三号甲系列运载火箭高适应性发展——从总体与导航制导控制的视角

从总体与导航制导控制的视角,对长征三号甲系列运载火箭发展与成就进行了分析和小结。长征三号甲系列运载火箭,在长征三号运载火箭解决我国发射高轨道卫星有无问题的基础上,历经基本能力、适应能力、高适应能力的发展,具备了高轨道大型卫星运载能力,突破了从单一轨道面到三维空间各种轨道发射、从高轨卫星转移轨道到工作轨道发射、从地球轨道到地月轨道发射以及从航天技术试验到高可靠工程应用发射等关键技术,使我国运载火箭整体能力取得了地球全轨道发射、星际轨道发射等跨越发展。航天重大工程和国际商业发射表明,该系列运载火箭已进入世界高轨道航天器发射的运载火箭前列,并奠定了进一步开拓发展的基础。     

面向低轨卫星的双圆极化宽带宽角扫描阵列研究

随着卫星通信技术的日益成熟，相控阵天线被广泛应用于低轨卫星系统，提出了一种面向低轨卫星通信的新型双圆极化宽带宽角扫描阵列天线。阵列天线单元采用一种金属栅格加载的对称阵子，其工作宽带为17GHz~21GHz，相对带宽超过21%，同时金属栅格加载方法可有效展宽对称阵子波束宽度，从而在工作频段内使E面和H面波束宽度均超过140°。通过上述宽带宽波束对称阵子作为阵列天线单元，形成8×8的64单元阵面。然后，阵列天线单元经过旋转组阵，实现了双圆极化特性。由于天线单元具有宽带、宽波束性能，有效拓展了阵列波束扫描角度，即在不同旋向下，均能实现二维±60°的波束扫描。阵列在低频17GHz工作时，法向波束增益为18.2dB，当扫描离轴角为60°时，增益下降2.8dB，轴比小于2dB。在高频21GHz时，法向增益为19.6dB，当扫描离轴角为60°时，增益下降3.7dB，轴比小于3dB，具备良好的宽带宽角覆盖性能，从而在低轨卫星通信中具有广阔的应用前景。     

The data compression problem for the “GAIA” astrometric satellite of ESA

Space-based astrometry has a great tradition at ESA. The first space-based astrometric satellite in history, “Hipparcos”, was launched by ESA in 1989 and, in spite of orbital problems, was able to accomplish almost all of its tasks until it was finally shut down in 1993. The results of the Hipparcos mission were published by ESA in 1997 in the form of six CD-ROMs: the Hipparcos Catalogue contains 118,218 entries with median astrometric precision of around 1 milliarcsec, and specific results for double and multiple systems. In practice, Hipparcos drew for the first time the three-dimensional “map” of the spherical region of the Galaxy surrounding the Sun and having a radius of roughly 1,000 light years.

Then, in 1995, ESA launched the study of a new astrometric satellite, named “GAIA” and about a hundred times more powerful than Hipparcos, i.e. with median astrometric precision of around 10 microarcsec. This new satellite is intended to measure the parallaxes of over 50 million stars in the Galaxy, at least for the brightest stars, and this would mean to “draw” the three-dimensional map of the whole Galaxy, reaching out even to the Magellanic Clouds, 180,000 light years away.

The team of European scientists and engineers now designing GAIA, however, is facing hard technological difficulties. One of these is the design and coding of radically new and ultra-powerful mathematical algorithms for the on-board compression of the 50-million-stars data that GAIA will send to Earth from its intended geostationary orbit. Preliminary estimates of the raw data rates from the GAIA focal plane, in fact, are of the order of a few Gigabits per second. To reduce the data stream to the envisaged telemetry link of 1 Megabit per second, on-board data compression with a 1 to 1,000 ratio is the target. Clearly, this is far beyond the capabilities of any lossless compression technique (enabling compression ratios of 1 to some tens), and so some “wise” lossy compression mathematical procedure must be adopted.

In this paper a GAIA-adapted lossy data compression technique is presented, based on the Karhunen-Loève Transform (KLT). The essence of this method was already used by NASA for the Galileo mission when the large antenna got stuck and the mission was rescued by re-programming the on-board computer in terms of the KLT. That transform was officially named ICT — “Integer Cosine Transform” — by the NASA-JPL team led by Dr. Kahr-Ming Cheung. But the KLT here described for GAIA will of course differ from the JPL one in many regards, owing to the advances in computer technology.

Finally, estimates are also given about the possibility of using the KLT for onboard data compression in case GAIA is going to be put into orbit around the Lagrangian point L2 of the Earth-Sun system, and, above all, in case the number of stars to be observed is actually raised from 50 millions to one billion, as ESA currently appears to be likely to pursue.     

美国新型“分身术”卫星计划及其关键技术

美国空军正在研发一种具备“分身术”的新型卫星系统——F6系统。由这种未来的绕地“虚拟卫星”组成的系统将具有强大的侦察功能,会把敌方军队窥探无余,一旦其中的某颗卫星被击落,将会有新的卫星很快替补上去。描述了美国国防高级研究计划局（DARPA）提出的这个计划的概况和进展情况,并提出该计划实施的关键技术。     

Telecommunications and the economic impact of communications satellites

This article provides several illustrations of the growing economic importance and scope of communications satellite service and discusses how rapid development of new telecommunications systems, particularly those that include communications satellite systems, serve as a major stimulant of economic growth. There is evidence that communications satellites are capable of making important economic contributions to developed and developing countries alike. The rapid proliferation of separate communications satellites, although stimulating economic growth, is giving rise to concerns about intersystem connectivity and saturation of the available radio frequencies in geosynchronous orbit. The growth of the communications satellite industry to an activity level of perhaps $10,000 million per annum by the mid-to-late-1980s could assist in the development of multipurpose space platforms that could minimize the problems created by satellite proliferation.     

中低轨道卫星星座间的激光链路

阐述在中低轨道卫星星座全球通讯网络中应用的激光星间链路与在中继星间应用的激光星间链路相比，所具有的明显的优势。同时给出了应用于小卫星上的小光学用户终端的基本组成，并指出了当前在中低轨道卫星星座激光星间链路研究中所应当进行的主要研究方面。     

The overredundant spacecraft—A competitive approach to future telecommunication satellites

Present operational space telecommunication systems are based on simultaneous availability of more than one satellite on orbit, mainly a spare satellite in addition to the operational one.Considering the costs associated to the delivery of extra flight models and to extra launchers, the question is asked whether it would not be advantageous to launch a very limited number of “overredundant” spacecraft instead of several standard satellites.The paper gives main conditions of reliability, size and redundancy concept under which an “overredundant” spacecraft could be a competitive approach to future operational systems.     

低轨卫星编队飞行的地面覆盖及轨道调整

通过施加冲量的方法消除J2项摄动和大气阻力摄动对编队飞行的影响,在编队的相对构型和整体绝对位置得到控制后,研究了低轨卫星编队飞行的地面覆盖问题,最后通过算例给出了卫星编队在南北纬86°之间全球覆盖所需的时间、周期、圈数和覆盖角。计算结果表明,对于偏心率较小的低轨编队飞行,根据本文所推导公式计算出的结果是比较可靠的。     

月球重力场环境对月球卫星轨道影响分析

文章分析了月球复杂的重力场环境对月球卫星轨道运行的影响。通过月球卫星冻结轨道与地球卫星冻结轨道的对比分析,结果表明月球重力场存在较大异常,并由此引起月球卫星轨道发生较大漂移。另外,月球冻结轨道在带谐项影响下还存在中等周期的漂移,仅简单考虑带谐项系数无法求得完美的月球冻结系数。由于月球重力场异常对绕月卫星的影响与地球轨道卫星情况相比存在很大差异,因此月球轨道卫星的长期运行与控制策略的设计必须充分考虑此影响。     

链路状态感知的低轨卫星网络路由机制

低轨卫星的空间组网能够突破地形限制,实现全天候、高带宽、低时延、广覆盖的数据通信,弥补地面通信系统的不足,使通信服务全球化成为可能。但是,卫星节点的快速移动和能量受限使得空间链路面临高动态、不可靠、间歇性等问题。同时接入用户的分布不均容易导致卫星网络出现重载节点和局部拥塞的情况,这对空间组网和数据传输提出了新的挑战。传统的静态卫星组网模式可靠性差,可伸缩性低,难以适应空间动态组网的需求。针对低轨卫星网络拓扑变化快的特点,提出链路状态感知的路由机制,在降低卫星能耗的同时减轻网络的局部拥塞,使用树莓派搭建半实物仿真平台,并在该平台上进行实验,验证了该机制的有效性。     

长寿命卫星热控涂层性能退化及其对卫星热特征的影响

分析了卫星热控涂层在轨运行时所面临的复杂的空间辐照环境,在国 内外试验数据的基础上,给出了热控涂层在空间辐照环境作用下的退化模型,得到了退化前 后热控涂层光学性能变化的表达式,预测了几种常用热控涂层在空间环境下的退化结果。并 以一颗地球同步轨道模拟星为例,分析热控涂层性能退化对卫星热特征尤其是对卫星红外辐 射特性的影响。
     

一种晨昏轨道卫星地球反照系数估计方法

针对地球反照对太阳同步轨道卫星太阳电池阵输出电流的影响,首先比较不同降交点地方时卫星的太阳电池阵输出电流,分析其变化规律,然后选定晨昏轨道卫星作为研究对象,建立太阳电池阵输出电流模型与地球反照系数估计模型,利用最小二乘法估计电流参数与地球反照系数,最后结合不同季节、不同轨道高度卫星的遥测数据进行在轨验证。结果表明,对于轨道高度在1200km以下的晨昏轨道卫星,地球反照系数在0.05以上;地球反照系数随轨道高度增加呈指数规律衰减,衰减系数约为0.002。     

Reconfigurable dual feed antenna for direct broadcast satellites

Direct Broadcast Satellites covering large countries such as Canada, require more than one spacecraft, located at different orbital positions, as well as the use of multiple shaped beams. This would minimize eclipse requirements over several time zones, provide increased capacity by frequency reuse and permit the use of cost effective ground receivers.Two such satellites are envisaged, one covering Eastern Canada, the other Western Canada, using two different sets of three highly shaped beams. This paper is the result of a feasibility study of a satellite antenna designed such that while at either orbital location it can be reconfigured in orbit, by ground command and hence can save the cost of one additional spare spacecraft.An offset parabolic reflector is proposed for the 12 GHz downlink, with a switched “dual feed” structure, consisting of two separate but contiguous sets of pyramidal horns and their associated beam forming networks (BFN). Only one BFN set is used at any one orbital location. Detailed radiation patterns demonstrate good beamshaping capabilities, with coverage efficiencies of the order of 94%. Other considerations such as the effect of orbital locations, gain equalization and TWTA standardization are discussed.It is concluded that a satellite, reconfigurable in orbit with a “dual feed” antenna, is feasible and cost effective, for a DBS spare as well as for the main spacecraft.     

Characterizing the near-earth object hazard and its mitigation

Within observational constraints and analytic orbit determinations, potential NEO hazards and mitigations are characterized in terms of orbit displacements to establish (arbitrary) “safe” closest approach distances and corresponding energies that must be externally applied to achieve appropriate orbit displacements from the Earth. Required orbital velocity changes depend on projected closest Earth approach distances and time to (near) impact. Energy to achieve orbital displacement depends on NEO mass, required orbital velocity change, and the energy–momentum coupling coefficient. Errors in these parameters introduce uncertainties into hazard index and mitigation procedures. Hazard avoidance levels and mitigation indices for nine near-Earth asteroids, including 1997 XF₁₁ and 1999 AN₁₀, with non-zero Earth-impact probabilities are computed as examples of the proposed methodology, generating insight into the dilemma of predicting near impacts. This zeroth order approximation should not be construed as solving an orbital mechanics problem, nor establishing a particular set of criteria for mitigation action, but rather as a “survival index”.     

The pharao project: Towards a space clock using cold cs atoms

For several years, the “BNM-Laboratoire Primaire du Temps et des Fréquences” has worked on a cold atom frequency standard. With a cesium atomic fountain a resonance line width of 700 mHz has been obtained leading to a short-term stability of 2 × 10⁻¹³ τ^−1/2 down to 2 × 10⁻¹⁵ at 10⁴ s. A first evaluation of the fountain accuracy has been performed resulting in an accuracy of 3 × 10⁻¹⁵, three times better than previously achieved with thermal beams frequency standards. In the atomic fountain, gravity limits the interaction time to ˜1 s, hence the resonance line width to ˜0.5 Hz. A factor of 10 reduction in the line width could be obtained in a micro-gravity environment. The “Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales” (the French space agency), the “BNM-Laboratoire Primaire du Temps et des Fréquences”, the “Laboratoire de l'Horloge Atomique” and the “Laboratoire Kastler Brossel” have set up a collaboration to investigate a space frequency standard using cold atoms: the PHARAO project. A microgravity prototype has been constructed and operated first in the reduced gravity of aircraft parabolic flights in May 1997. It is designed as a transportable frequency standard. The PHARAO frequency standard could be a key element in future space missions in fundamental physics such as SORT (solar orbit relativity test), detection of gravitational waves, or for the realization of a global time scale and a new generation of positioning system.     

深空通信中继下行链路特性研究及仿真分析

在深空通信中,由于信号传输距离遥远,功率受限的下行链路信号衰减巨大。为解决上述问题,分析地球大气层和外层自由空间的传输特性差异,提出以地球同步轨道卫星为中继站的下行链路的构想,根据每一段链路特性的不同选择载波频率。仿真结果表明,中继链路可以提高信号传输的信噪比、增大信道容量、降低误码率,提高了深空通信下行链路的可靠性。     

Technical and economical comparison between a modular geostationary space platform and a cluster of satellites

In recent years, the identification of a large number of telecommunication missions reflects a growing demand for the provision of a large variety of communications and data transmission services performed by a space segment.

At present, communication space segment use a single operational satellite per orbit position. However, the expected increase of communication channels per space segment will lead to a corresponding increase of satellite mass and size which could exceed the capabilities of existing launch vehicles in terms of mass and volume requirements. Those considerations, coupled with the threatening saturation of the geostationary orbit, lead to the conclusion that an optimal space segment concept must be defined on a technical as well as economical point of view.

Two main concepts may be envisaged: one is a large platform, which can be assembled either in geostationary orbit (resulting in several launches, rendez-vous and docking), or in low earth orbit by using the STS; the other concept is a cluster of satellites.

These candidate concepts are designed to meet the requirements of a reference mission. They are characterized by the required number of modules to be launched, the type of launcher, the new subsystems or equipments to be developed. The concepts are evaluated following technical criteria such as adaptability to other missions, flexibility, growth potential. A cost/benefit evaluation of each solution is presented. A comparison between the different concepts is then made on the basis of the technical/economical attractiveness of each solution.     

基于半参数回归模型的批处理确定卫星轨道方法

由于卫星轨道观测数据中含有非线性影响因素,必然会降低定轨精度。在半参数 回归模型的基础上,应用小波阈值去噪算法估计并消除观测数据中存在的非线性影响因素, 提出了基于半参数回归模型的批处理确定卫星轨道的方法,以提高定轨精度;然后,在理论 上证明了在测量数据存在非线性影响因素的情形下,基于半参数回归模型的批处理确定卫星 轨道方法的定轨精度高于经典的批处理定轨精度;最后,对中低轨卫星应用批处理定轨进行 了仿真。结果表明：基于半参数回归模型的批处理确定卫星轨道方法分离出观测数据中的 白噪声和非线性影响因素,从而可以在观测数据中消除非线性影响因素,提高定轨的精度。     

基于三轴磁强计与雷达高度计的融合导航算法

为了减小近地轨道(小于1000km)地磁导航的估计误差协方差，提高导航的可靠性和准确性，在地磁导航系统中引入雷达高度计作为一个新的测量设备，提出了一种基于三轴磁强计与雷达高度计的融合导航算法。该算法取卫星的位置和速度向量作为状态向量，建立状态方程；取卫星周围的磁场强度和卫星到星下点实际海平面距离求出的地心距，作为观测量建立观测方程；利用扩展卡尔曼滤波构成一种融合导航算法。仿真结果表明，提出的融合导航算法对轨道位置的估计误差小于20米，速度的估计误差小于1米／秒，导航算法的精度和收敛性都优于使用单一地磁导航的系统。