A dimension reduced INS/VNS integrated navigation method for planetary rovers

Inertial navigation system/visual navigation system (INS/VNS) integrated navigation is a commonly used autonomous navigation method for planetary rovers. Since visual measurements are related to the previous and current state vectors (position and attitude) of planetary rovers, the performance of the Kalman filter (KF) will be challenged by the time-correlation problem. A state augmentation method, which augments the previous state value to the state vector, is commonly used when dealing with this problem. However, the augmenting of state dimensions will result in an increase in computation load. In this paper, a state dimension reduced INS/VNS integrated nav-igation method based on coordinates of feature points is presented that utilizes the information obtained through INS/VNS integrated navigation at a previous moment to overcome the time rel-evance problem and reduce the dimensions of the state vector. Equations of extended Kalman filter (EKF) are used to demonstrate the equivalence of calculated results between the proposed method and traditional state augmented methods. Results of simulation and experimentation indicate that this method has less computational load but similar accuracy when compared with traditional methods.     

Global Response of Martian Plasma Environment to an Interplanetary Structure: From Ena and Plasma Observations at Mars

As a part of the global plasma environment study of Mars and its response to the solar wind, we have analyzed a peculiar case of the subsolar energetic neutral atom (ENA) jet observed on June 7, 2004 by the Neutral Particle Detector (NPD) on board the Mars Express satellite. The “subsolar ENA jet” is generated by the interaction between the solar wind and the Martian exosphere, and is one of the most intense sources of ENA flux observed in the vicinity of Mars. On June 7, 2004 (orbit 485 of Mars Express), the NPD observed a very intense subsolar ENA jet, which then abruptly decreased within ∼10 sec followed by quasi-periodic (∼1 min) flux variations. Simultaneously, the plasma sensors detected a solar wind structure, which was most likely an interplanetary shock surface. The abrupt decrease of the ENA flux and the quasi-periodic flux variations can be understood in the framework of the global response of the Martian plasma obstacle to the interplanetary shock. The generation region of the subsolar ENA jet was pushed towards the planet by the interplanetary shock; and therefore, Mars Express went out of the ENA jet region. Associated global vibrations of the Martian plasma obstacle may have been the cause of the quasi-periodic flux variations of the ENA flux at the spacecraft location.     

Asymmetries in Mars' Exosphere

Observations and simulations show that Mars' atmosphere has large seasonal variations. Total atmospheric density can have an order of magnitude latitudinal variation at exobase heights. By numerical simulations we show that these latitude variations in exobase parameters induce asymmetries in the hydrogen exosphere that propagate to large distances from the planet. We show that these asymmetries in the exosphere produce asymmetries in the fluxes of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) and soft X-rays produced by charge exchange between the solar wind and exospheric hydrogen. This could be an explanation for asymmetries that have been observed in ENA and X-ray fluxes at Mars.     

开发月球车用的月表环境的地面模拟方法研究

当前中国正在进行自己的探月工程,预计将会发射月球车登陆月球表面.在研制月球探测器过程中,为了在地面验证月球车的可靠性和各项功能(如着陆冲击、自主巡航和遥控),必须建立相应的地面试验中心.根据目前对月球表面环境的认识和现有的仿真技术,文章提出了实现月表综合环境模拟的试验设施的设想.由于月球表面环境非常恶劣并且月表的地形也非常复杂,文章提出了一种组合式月表环境模拟器的设想.主要部分是模拟各种月貌特征(如陨石坑、斜坡、沟壑等)的可移动单元.每个单元是一个用模拟月壤制作的小沙盘,其化学成分、组成颗粒分布和力学性能和已经获取的真实月壤样品相似.根据不同的试验要求,选择相应的单元按照一定的规律组合成为试验场.这样在有限的场地面积内可以按需实现对月表不同地域的地貌特征模拟.同时,可以选择少量单元的组合构成更小规模的试验场,以方便与其它环境模拟器(如落塔,热/真空容器等)联合,实现模拟月表的综合环境.     

火星探测用降落伞研制试验简介

文章主要介绍了美国火星探测用降落伞研制过程以及在研制过程中的一些主要试验，并同时指出了试验中的一些特点。     

论航天火星探测

回顾了 2 0世纪航天火星探测的历史和成就 ,论述了火星探测器飞行轨道的特点 ,展望了 2 1世纪初期航天火星探测的前景     

一种组合自适应模糊控制方法及其在月球探测车上的应用

自适应模糊控制是解决不确知非线性系统问题的一种有效手段。文中以月球探测车的驱动控制为背景,针对这类非线性MIMO系统,提出一种组合自适应模糊控制方法,用于系统模型不能准确获知的情形。在本方法中,控制律由3部分组成:监督控制项、跟踪控制项和补偿控制项。在控制律的设计中,通过自适应项来同时补偿模糊逻辑系统的逼近误差以及外部干扰的影响,且无需假设模糊逻辑系统最小逼近误差的上确界已知。基于Lyapunov方法,证明了闭环系统是全局稳定的,系统输出误差渐近收敛。将该方法应用于月球探测车的驱动控制中,仿真结果表明了方法的有效性。     

火星探测着陆系统开伞控制方法研究

文章通过对火星探测进入轨道的分析，提出了一种以动压为控制目标的开伞控制方法，并借鉴过载-时间控制法的相关思想，结合火星探测进入轨道的特点，研究了该开伞控制法的原理和实现方法。根据火星探路者的实际进入条件，采用该方法的分析结果与实际飞行中的开伞情况基本吻合。     

火星探测转移轨道初始设计与分析

根据推进方式和是否采用金星借力,火星转移轨道分为大推力直接转移轨道、大推力金星借力转移轨道、小推力直接转移轨道和小推力金星借力转移轨道4类。传统的轨道设计方法只是针对某一类特定的转移方案进行轨道优化,而并未针对不同的转移方案进行详细对比分析。文章以2020/2022年发射窗口为例,针对4类基本火星转移轨道进行研究。首先,基于不同轨道初始设计方法,对4类轨道进行了初始设计,得到了每类转移方案的能量最优转移轨道。然后,基于设计结果和能耗对4类转移方案进行了横向对比分析,得到了不同策略下的转移轨道的特性。基于小推力的火星探测任务轨道对发射能量要求低;大推力直接转移和借力金星的发射窗口交替分布,可以互为备份;基于小推力推进的探测器采用金星借力转移策略相比直接转移能够减少10%的能耗,优势十分明显。