Orbit-attitude-vibration coupled dynamics of tethered solar power satellite

A new orbit-attitude-vibration coupled dynamic model of the tethered solar power satellite (Tethered SPS) is established based on absolute nodal coordinate formulation. The Hamilton’s equation of the system is derived by introducing generalized momentum through Legendre transformation. The correctness of the proposed model is verified by an example. The dynamic characteristics of the Tethered SPS are studied using the symplectic Runge-Kutta method. Simulation results show that the orbital radius and the total energy of the system are well preserved. The attitude of the system is unstable when the mass of the bus system is small. However, the attitude stability is dependent on some other parameters of the system, which requires further studies. It is also found that the average tether force/deformation can be roughly estimated by simplifying the solar panel as a particle. The proposed model can be used to study the orbit-attitude-vibration coupled dynamics and control problems.     

Estimating the spin axis orientation of the Echostar-2 box-wing geosynchronous satellite

For the first time, the spin axis orientation of an inactive box-wing geosynchronous satellite has been estimated from ground-based optical photometric observations of Echostar-2’s specular reflections. Recent photometric light curves obtained of Echostar-2 over four years suggest that unusually bright and brief specular reflections were occurring twice within an observed spin period. These bright and brief specular reflections suggested two satellite surfaces with surface normals separated by approximately 180°. The geometry between the satellite, the Sun, and the observing location at the time of each of the brightest observed reflections, was used to estimate Echostar-2’s equatorial spin axis orientation coordinates. When considering prograde and retrograde rotation, Echostar-2’s spin axis orientation was estimated to have been located within 30° of either equatorial coordinate pole. Echostar-2’s spin axis was observed to have moved approximately 180° in right ascension, within a time span of six months, suggesting a roughly one year spin axis precession period about the satellite’s angular momentum vector.     

Fully distributed time-varying formation tracking control for multiple quadrotor vehicles via finite-time convergent extended state observer

This paper investigates a time-varying anti-disturbance formation problem for a group of quadrotor aircrafts with time-varying uncertainties and a directed interaction topology. A novel Finite-Time Convergent Extended State Observer (FTCESO) based fully-distributed formation control scheme is proposed to enhance the disturbance rejection and the formation tracking performances for networked quadrotors. By adopting the hierarchical control strategy, the multi-quadrotor system is separated into two subsystems: the outer-loop cooperative subsystem and the inner-loop attitude subsystem. In the outer-loop subsystem, with the estimation of disturbing forces and uncertain dynamics from FTCESOs, an adaptive consensus theory based cooperative controller is exploited to ensure the multiple quadrotors form and maintain a time-varying pattern relying only on the positions of the neighboring aircrafts. In the inner-loop subsystem, the desired attitude generated by the cooperative control law is stably tracked under a FTCESO-based attitude controller in a finite time. Based on a detailed algorithm to specify the cooperative control protocol, the feasibility condition to achieve the time-varying anti-disturbance formation tracking is derived and the rigorous analysis of the whole closed-loop multi-quadrotor system is given. Some numerical examples are conducted to intuitively demonstrate the effectiveness and the improvements of the proposed control framework.     

A survey of safety separation management and collision avoidance approaches of civil UAS operating in integration national airspace system

Recent years have witnessed a booming of the industry of civil Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). As an emerging industry, the UAS industry has been attracting great attention from governments of all countries and the aviation industry. UAS are highly digitalized, informationized, and intelligent; therefore, their integration into the national airspace system has become an important trend in the development of civil aviation. However, the complexity of UAS operation poses great challenges to the traditional aviation regulatory system and technical means. How to prevent collisions between UASs and between UAS and manned aircraft to achieve safe and efficient operation in the integrated operating airspace has become a common challenge for industry and academia around the world. In recent years, the international community has carried out a great amount of work and experiments in the air traffic management of UAS and some of the key technologies. This paper attempts to make a review of the UAS separation management and key technologies in collision avoidance in the integrated airspace, mainly focusing on the current situation of UAS Traffic Management (UTM), safety separation standards, detection system, collision risk prediction, collision avoidance, safety risk assessment, etc., as well as an analysis of the bottlenecks that the current researches encountered and their development trends, so as to provide some insights and references for further research in this regard. Finally, this paper makes a further summary of some of the research highlights and challenges.     

Fault mode probability factor based fault-tolerant control for dissimilar redundant actuation system

This paper presents a Fault Mode Probability Factor (FMPF) based Fault-Tolerant Control (FTC) strategy for multiple faults of Dissimilar Redundant Actuation System (DRAS) composed of Hydraulic Actuator (HA) and Electro-Hydrostatic Actuator (EHA). The long-term service and severe working conditions can result in multiple gradual faults which can ultimately degrade the system performance, resulting in the system model drift into the fault state characterized with parameter uncertainty. The paper proposes to address this problem by using the historical statistics of the multiple gradual faults and the proposed FMPF to amend the system model with parameter uncertainty. To balance the system model precision and computation time, a Moving Window (MW) method is used to determine the applied historical statistics. The FMPF based FTC strategy is developed for the amended system model where the system estimation and Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) are updated at the end of system sampling period. The simulations of DRAS system subjected to multiple faults have been performed and the results indicate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

Implementation of tactical maneuvers with maneuver libraries

This study creates and combines the general maneuver libraries for fixed-wing aircraft to implement tactical maneuvers. First, the generalized maneuver libraries are established by analyzing the characteristics of tactical maneuvers required in battlefields. The 7th order polynomial is applied to both the creation of the maneuver libraries and the generation of the trajectories or flight paths for modal inputs. To track the desired trajectory, we design the Attitude Command Attitude Hold (ACAH) system and the Rate Command Rate Hold (RCRH) system using Model Following Controller (MFC). Moreover, the Line-of-Sight (LOS) guidance law is designed. In particular, the CONDUIT® is employed to optimize the gains so that the control systems meet the aircraft Handling Qualities (HQ) criteria. Finally, flight simulations are performed for the longitudinal loop, immelmann-turn, and climb-slalom-descent maneuvers to verify that tactical aggressive maneuvers are realizable via the combination of maneuver libraries. This study can contribute to the development of flight techniques for aircraft tactical maneuvers and to the revision of air force operational manuals.     

轨控大干扰下的系统角动量管理

摘要： 针对利用角动量交换装置系统实现轨控期间姿态维持的情况，研究当轨控推力器存在大力矩扰动时系统角动量管理方法.结合对地运行航天器轨道运动特性，分析轨控干扰力矩的积累角动量变化规律；考虑角动量管理装置系统的角动量存贮容量，基于角动量积累规律提出了一种结合偏置角动量建立与对称分布轨控位置选择的系统角动量管理方法，实现了对称轨控位置积累角动量互相抵消的自平衡效果，极大程度地提高轨控效率且避免系统角动量饱和现象.所提出的方法适用于喷气欠驱动控制系统，方法的有效性通过了数学仿真验证及在轨型号应用.     

酚醛树脂基纳米多孔材料的制备及结构调控

酚醛树脂基纳米多孔材料（Phenolic Resin-based Nanoporous Materials，PNM）是满足新一代航天飞行器轻质、高效隔热需求的新型热防护材料，传统制备方法中需使用超临界干燥技术，制备周期长、成本高。本研究通过两步法，即先合成线性酚醛树脂，再进行溶胶-凝胶的方法，实现了常压干燥PNM的制备。系统研究了固化剂含量、固化温度和固化时间对材料结构的影响和调控作用，分析了影响材料收缩率和热稳定性的因素。结果表明，PNM的微观纳米结构的变化会影响材料干燥后的收缩率，制备大颗粒、大孔径的微观结构更有利于降低材料的收缩率。而PNM的热稳定性主要受交联反应过程形成的化学结构的影响，通过优化固化剂的含量可提高PNM的热稳定性。当固化剂含量为10%，固化温度提高至150℃，固化时间延长至48 h的条件下，获得的PNM有最高的热稳定性（900℃下的残碳率为54.2%）、最发达的孔结构（比表面积为264.0 m²/g、孔容为2.67 cm³/g、平均孔径为40.0 nm）和最小的收缩率（0%）。此PNM制备方法简单、性能优异，在未来航天飞行器上有广阔的应用前景。     

类IXV飞行器初期再入制导与姿态控制方法研究

摘要： 针对类IXV飞行器无翼式升力体构型及采用RCS/尾襟翼组合控制特点，研究其初期再入段的高精度制导与姿态控制方法.设计带过程约束的数值预测 校正制导律以提高制导系统的鲁棒性及精确性；根据其执行机构配置特点，设计基于RCS的航向控制律及基于RCS/气动舵的纵、横向复合控制律，并采用鲁棒伺服LQR技术进行控制参数快速设计.通过蒙特卡洛打靶仿真来验证算法的精度及鲁棒性.     

多臂空间机器人的视觉伺服与协调控制

针对多臂空间机器人自主目标抓捕任务，首先建立多臂空间机器人的运动模型和其与目标的相对运动模型，采用Kane方法建立多臂空间机器人的动力学模型；其次，研究基于视觉伺服的机械臂在线轨迹规划算法，并引入零反作用机动，消除机械臂运动对平台姿态的扰动；再次，在不使用零反作用机动功能时，分别使用基于角动量前馈补偿的协调控制算法和逆动力学方法设计了协调控制器，在机械臂运动时保持平台姿态和相对目标的位置。最后，开发了基于Matlab的仿真软件MASS（多臂空间机器人仿真），仿真结果校验了上述方法的有效性。