Optical response of nanosatellite BLITS measured by the Graz 2 kHz SLR system

The nanosatellite BLITS (Ball Lens In The Space) is the first object designed as a passive, spherical retroreflector of the Luneburg type, dedicated for Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR). The optical response of BLITS has been measured by the Graz 2 kHz SLR station and compared with the response of the classical retroreflector arrays (RRA) of the Low Earth Orbiting satellites such as ERS-2 and Stella. This work demonstrates that the optical response of BLITS is flat and featureless, comparable with the signature of a point-source or a flat target, and suggests that this innovative design will deliver a higher normal point (NP) accuracy (2.55 mm) than any other SLR target currently in orbit. The high reflectivity of the glassy BLITS (about 60% of the return rate from the multi-reflector Stella) is found to be decreasing by about 30% per year, probably due to the solar irradiation. Detailed analysis of the reflective half-shell demonstrates that a high return rate of SLR measurements can be achieved regardless of the incident angle of the laser beam, thus making the spherical lens a perfect successor of the classical RRA panels mounted on active satellites such as CHAMP, GOCE and GRACE.     

Spin motion determination of the Envisat satellite through laser ranging measurements from a single pass measured by a single station

The Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) technology is used to accurately determine the position of space objects equipped with so-called retro-reflectors or retro-reflector arrays (RRA). This type of measurement allows to measure the range to the spacecraft with high precision, which leads to determination of very accurate orbits for these targets. Non-active spacecraft, which are not attitude controlled any longer, tend to start to spin or tumble under influence of the external and internal torques and forces.If the return signal is measured for a non-spherical non-active rotating object, the signal in the range residuals with respect to the reference orbit is more complex. For rotating objects the return signal shows an oscillating pattern or patterns caused by the RRA moving around the satellite’s centre of mass. This behaviour is projected onto the radial component measured by the SLR.In our work, we demonstrate how the SLR ranging technique from one sensor to a satellite equipped with a RRA can be used to precisely determine its spin motion during one passage. Multiple SLR measurements of one target over time allow to accurately monitor spin motion changes which can be further used for attitude predictions. We show our solutions of the spin motion determined for the non-active ESA satellite Envisat obtained from measurements acquired during years 2013–2015 by the Zimmerwald SLR station, Switzerland. All the necessary parameters are defined for our own so-called point-like model which describes the motion of a point in space around the satellite centre of mass.     

Spin axis orientation of Ajisai determined from Graz 2 kHz SLR data

The Graz 2 kHz Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) measurements allow determination of the spin axis orientation of the geodetic satellite Ajisai. The high repetition rate of the laser makes it possible to determine the epoch time when the laser is pointing directly between two corner cube reflector (CCR) rings of the satellite. Identification of many such events during a few (up to 3) consecutive passes allows to state the satellite orientation in the celestial coordinate system. Six years of 2 kHz SLR data (October 2003–October 2009) delivered 331 orientation values which clearly show precession of the axis along a cone centered at 14^h56^m2.8^s in right ascension and 88.512° in declination (J2000.0 celestial reference frame) and with an half-aperture angle θ of 1.405°. The spin axis precesses with a period of 117 days, which is equal to the period of the right ascension of the ascending node of Ajisai’s orbit. We present a model of the axis precession which allows prediction of the satellite orientation – necessary for the envisaged laser time transfer via Ajisai mirrors.     

Spin rate and spin axis orientation of LARES spectrally determined from Satellite Laser Ranging data

Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) is a powerful technique able to measure spin rate and spin axis orientation of the fully passive, geodetic satellites. This work presents results of the spin determination of LARES – a new satellite for testing General Relativity. 529 SLR passes measured between February 17 and June 9, 2012, were spectrally analyzed. Our results indicate that the initial spin frequency of LARES is f₀ = 86.906 mHz (RMS = 0.539 mHz). A new method for spin axis determination, developed for this analysis, gives orientation of the axis at RA = 12^h22^m48^s (RMS = 49^m), Dec = −70.4° (RMS = 5.2°) (J2000.0 celestial reference frame), and the clockwise (CW) spin direction. The half-life period of the satellite’s spin is 214.924 days and indicates fast slowing down of the spacecraft.     

Spin parameters of High Earth Orbiting satellites Etalon-1 and Etalon-2 determined from kHz Satellite Laser Ranging data

The high repetition rate Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) system developed in Graz, Austria, measures ranges to the High Earth Orbiting satellites Etalon-1 and Etalon-2 with the millimeter accuracy. The 2 kHz repetition rate of the laser and the relatively high return rates allow to use the SLR data to calculate the spin parameters of the Etalon satellites. The analysis of the 10 years (October 2003–September 2013) of the SLR data gives trends of the spin axes orientation (J2000 Inertial Reference Frame):     

Spin parameters of nanosatellite BLITS determined from Graz 2 kHz SLR data

The nanosatellite BLITS (Ball Lens In The Space) is the first object designed as a passive, spherical retroreflector of the Luneburg type, dedicated for Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR). The 2 kHz SLR station Graz measures spin parameters of this satellite, providing information about the rotational dynamics of the body. The measurements obtained during the period from September 26, 2009 to November 24, 2010 show a significant change of the spin configuration. The spin axis was dynamically precessing since the launch and currently is sinus-like behaving between coordinates RA 120°…150°, Dec 30°…60° (J2000 inertial reference frame). The angle between the symmetry axis and the spin axis of BLITS is not constant, but is decreasing since the launch, while its spin period is rather stable with a mean value of 5.613 s (clockwise rotation). The satellite was dynamically changing its attitude during the first three months after deployment; after this time the spin parameters are relatively stable.     

Spin parameters of Low Earth Orbiting satellites Larets and Stella determined from Satellite Laser Ranging data

Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) measurements contain information about the spin parameters of the fully passive, geodetic satellites. In this paper we spectrally analyze the SLR data of 5 geodetic satellites placed on the Low Earth Orbits: GFZ-1, WESTPAC, Larets, Starlette, Stella, and successfully retrieve the frequency signal from Larets and Stella only. The obtained signals indicate an exponential increase of the spin period of Larets: T = 0.860499·exp(0.0197066·D) [s], and Stella: T = 13.5582·exp(0.00431232·D) [s], where D is in days since launch. The initial spin periods calculated from the first month of the SLR observations are: Larets: T_initial = 0.8239 s, Stella: T_initial = 13.2048 s. Analysis of the apparent effects indicates the counter-clockwise spin direction of the satellites. The twice more heavy Stella lost its rotational energy more than four times slower than Larets. Fitting the spin model to the observed spin trends allows determination of the spin axis orientation evolution for Larets and Stella before their rotational period becomes equal to the orbital period.     

22 Years of AJISAI spin period determination from standard SLR and kHz SLR data

Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) is a powerful and efficient technique to measure spin parameters of satellites equipped with corner cube reflectors. We obtained spin period determination of the satellite AJISAI from SLR data only: 17246 pass-by-pass estimates from standard 1–15 Hz SLR data (14/Aug/1986–30/Dec/2008) and 1444 pass-by-pass estimates (9/Oct/2003–30/Dec/2008) from data of the first 2 kHz SLR system from Graz, Austria. A continuous history of the slowing down of AJISAI spin is derived from frequency analysis, and corrected for the apparent effects. The apparent corrections, elaborated here, allowed very accurate determination of AJISAI initial spin period: 1.4855 ± 0.0007 [s]. The paper identifies also non-gravitational effects as a source of the periodical changes in the rate of slowing down of the satellite.     

Oblique sounding of the ionosphere by powerful wave beams

The article is devoted to modeling the impact on the ionosphere powerful obliquely incident wave beam. The basis of this analysis will be orbital variational principle for the intense wave beams-generalization of Fermat’s principle to the case of a nonlinear medium (, ,  and ). Under the influence of a powerful wave beam appears manageable the additional stratification of the ionospheric layer F2. Explicit expressions show how the properties of the test beam, with a shifted frequency, released in the same direction as the beam depend on the intensity of a powerful beam and the frequency shift.     

The Crab pulsar seen with AquEYE at Asiago Cima Ekar observatory

We are developing fast photon-counter instruments to study the rapid variability of astrophysical sources by time tagging photon arrival times with unprecedented accuracy, making use of a Rubidium clock and GPS receiver. The first realization of such optical photon-counters, dubbed AquEYE (the Asiago Quantum Eye), was mounted in 2008 at the 182 cm Copernicus Observatory in Asiago. AquEYE observed the Crab pulsar several times and collected data of extraordinary quality that allowed us to perform accurate optical timing of the Crab pulsar and to study the pulse shape stability on a timescale from days to years with an excellent definition. Our results reinforce the evidence for decadal stability of the inclination angle between the spin and magnetic axis of the Crab pulsar. Future realizations of our instrument will make use of the Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) time signal.     

星载圆柱阵电子消旋天线研究

对同步轨道自旋稳定卫星提出了一种 32列圆柱阵的电子消旋天线。该天线每列有 4个辐射单元 ,通过开关矩阵和数字可变功分器 ,对相邻五列阵顺序馈电形成覆球波束 ,在 0°～ 360°范围内周向扫描。利用星载地球敏感器输出脉冲作为角度参考 ,通过控制软件实现自主消旋 ,并获得了周向约 1 6°的波束跃度和电平起伏小于 1dB的平稳消旋结果     

星载铷原子钟频率特性星地测量技术研究

阐述了借助地面测控站对星载铷钟进行监测,以实现铷钟在轨运行频率特性的四种测量方法:单向时差比对法、双向时差比对法、利用GPS系统时间比对法和激光时差比对法,并对这四种方法的测量原理进行了分析和比较。对育种卫星搭载国产铷钟的试验方案和测量结果进行了介绍。     

快响SAR卫星零多普勒波束中心姿态机动策略研究

传统偏航牵引方法采用惯性系下卫星轨道6要素推导得出姿态机动参数,在此方法中仅控制卫星主轴方向多普勒频率为0Hz,无法补偿SAR天线安装偏差和波束在天线内的方位距离向离轴角引起的斜距偏差和多普勒频率偏移,不能满足SAR系统时序设计需求和快响SAR卫星在轨实时处理器性能要求。因此,提出了地心固定坐标系中SAR天线波束指向零多普勒面内目标方向的姿态机动策略,使快响SAR卫星在轨实际波束中心多普勒频率为0Hz。该策略首先计算了基于场景目标的SAR总体设计的精确时序参数和观测参数,然后在地心固定坐标系中建立了波束中心多普勒频率为0Hz的SAR天线波束三轴指向模型,推导得出卫星三轴指向和姿态机动参数,并通过Matlab对该策略进行了仿真验证。结果表明,该策略可将多普勒频率由地球自转引起的29kHz、天线与卫星安装偏差引起的360Hz和波束方位向离轴角引起的3950Hz补偿至0Hz,同时将由天线与卫星安装偏差和波束距离向离轴角综合引起的波束中心偏离目标的斜距偏差6.28km补偿至米的量级。     

光电跟踪仪光轴一致性测量装置

设计了大口径离轴抛物面镜平行光管光学系统,研制了基于CCD图像采集处理的激光光斑中心坐标提取系统,研制了基于光栅尺的位移闭环控制系统,建立了光电跟踪仪光轴一致性参数测量装置。装置可用来测量光电跟踪仪激光发射轴、电视成像系统、红外成像跟踪系统三轴的一致性,测量不确定度为0.02mrad。     

Comparison of GPS S/C orbits determined from GPS and SLR tracking data

The last two Global Positioning System (GPS) spacecraft launched on August 30, 1993 and March 10, 1994 carried identical laser retroreflector arrays that allow laser ranging from ground stations. Tracking of these targets is a low priority for most of the ground stations due to the present mandatory support of missions with no alternative tracking. The available data is sparse and concentrated primarily on the first of the two spacecraft, GPS-35 (PRN 5). Despite this, analysis of this data set indicates that there is great potential for engineering and scientific experiments in a synergistic application of Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and radiometric GPS techniques.     

半球谐振陀螺调平技术发展综述

半球谐振陀螺是一种新型的固态波动陀螺，具有精度高、体积小、寿命长、功耗低等优点。谐振子的品质因数高低和不平衡质量大小直接决定了半球谐振陀螺的性能，因此，不平衡质量的辨识和调平是提高谐振陀螺性能的关键。首先，介绍了六种不同的刚性轴方位和不平衡质量辨识方法和系统，分析对比了每种方法的优缺点；其次，对谐振子的调平理论进行了归纳，进而对机械调平、化学调平、激光调平和离子束调平的研究现状和特点进行了梳理和归纳；最后对半球谐振陀螺调平技术的发展作了简要评述。     

New results on spin determination of nanosatellite BLITS from High Repetition Rate SLR data

The nanosatellite BLITS (Ball Lens In The Space) demonstrates a successful design of the new spherical lens type satellite for Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR). The spin parameters of the satellite were calculated from more than 1000 days of SLR data collected from 6 High Repetition Rate (HRR) systems: Beijing, Changchun, Graz, Herstmonceux, Potsdam, Shanghai.     

Creation of the new industry-standard space test of laser retroreflectors for the GNSS and LAGEOS

We built a new experimental apparatus (the “Satellite/lunar laser ranging Characterization Facility”, SCF) and created a new test procedure (the SCF-Test) to characterize and model the detailed thermal behavior and the optical performance of cube corner laser retroreflectors in space for industrial and scientific applications. The primary goal of these innovative tools is to provide critical design and diagnostic capabilities for Satellites Laser Ranging (SLR) to Galileo and other GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) constellations. The capability will allow us to optimize the design of GNSS laser retroreflector payloads to maximize ranging efficiency, to improve signal-to-noise conditions in daylight and to provide pre-launch validation of retroreflector performance under laboratory-simulated space conditions. Implementation of new retroreflector designs being studied will help to improve GNSS orbits, which will then increase the accuracy, stability, and distribution of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), to provide better definition of the geocenter (origin) and the scale (length unit).     

采用铯束管荧光稳频技术的小型光抽运铯原子频率标准

对于小型光抽运铯原子频率标准来说，激光稳频参考源的稳定性决定了激光系统的频率稳定性，进而决定了整机的频率稳定度指标。激光稳频可以采用饱和吸收稳频和铯束管荧光稳频两种方案。经对比了采用这两种激光稳频方式的整机指标，取得了初步的结果：与采用饱和吸收稳频相比，采用铯束管荧光稳频后，整机的短期稳定度指标没有明显恶化，长期稳定度指标有了明显提升，3.21E-14/100 000s，1.13E-14/400 000s，未出现闪变平台，仍在继续测试中。结果显示，铯束管荧光稳频技术应用光抽运小型铯原子频率标准，具有提高整机长期稳定度指标和增强环境适应性的潜力。     

应用激光测振技术提高模态试验测量准确度

以一个标准直梁为研究对象,应用扫描式激光测振系统对梁进行了模态测量,得到梁的弯曲振动和纵向振动固有频率和振型,光测结果与理论计算结果相符。与传统的传感器测量结果相比,激光多普勒测振技术测量准确度高,可以很好的解决传感器对结构产生的附加质量的问题,尤其适用于轻薄结构的模态测量。