Chang’E-1 precision orbit determination and lunar gravity field solution

In this paper we present results assessing the role of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) tracking data through precision orbit determination (POD) during the check-out phase for Chang’E-1, and the lunar gravity field solution CEGM-01 based on the orbital tracking data acquired during the nominal phase of the mission. The POD of Chang’E-1 is performed using S-band two-way Range and Range Rate (R&RR) data, together with VLBI delay and delay rate observations. The role of the VLBI data in the POD of Chang’E-1 is analyzed, and the resulting orbital accuracies are estimated for different solution strategies. The final orbital accuracies proved that the VLBI tracking data can improve the Chang’E-1 POD significantly. Consequently, CEGM-01 based on six-month tracking data during Chang’E-1 nominal mission phase is presented, and the accuracy of the model is assessed by means of the gravity field power spectrum, admittance and coherence between gravity and topography, lunar surface gravity anomaly and POD for both Chang’E-1 and Lunar Prospector (LP). Our analysis indicates that CEGM-01 has significant improvements over a prior model (i.e. GLGM-2), and shows the potential of Chang’E-1 tracking data in high resolution lunar gravity field model solution by combining with SELENE and LP tracking data.     

深空导航无线电干涉测量技术的发展历程和展望

结合世界各航天大国和组织所开展的深空探测活动和深空测控系统建设中,对无线电干涉测量技术的开发、应用以及深空导航技术试验验证情况,系统地梳理和总结了深空导航无线电干涉测量技术的发展历程,并通过该技术未来在国际上几个主要深空探测任务中的应用规划,分析了无线电干涉测量领域未来的发展方向.该领域技术的最新发展对我国深空测控网无线电干涉测量系统的后续建设也具有重要的借鉴意义.     

深空干涉测量天线高精度站址测量技术现状及展望

用于深空测控任务的干涉测量天线的高精度站址测量对于深空航天器的高精度导航具有重要意义.为此,结合国内外对干涉测量天线高精度站址测量技术的研究、试验及成果,对2种站址测量方法——测地VLBI(Very Long Baseline Interferometry,甚长基线干涉测量)方法和归心测量方法的原理、现状进行了总结与比较:测地VLBI方法最为直接有效,且测量精度高;归心测量方法能反映参考点的本地变化,可提供站址初值,且便于连续监测;2种方法优势互补.在此基础上,对高精度站址测量技术未来的发展方向进行了展望.该领域技术的发展现状对我国深空测控网的后续建设具有重要的借鉴意义.     

深空干涉测量天线G/T值指标设计

G/T是天线的一项重要技术指标,在综合考虑测地VLBI(Very Long Baseline Interferometry,甚长基线干涉测量)和航天器VLBI观测两者需求的基础上,提出了深空干涉测量天线的G/T指标设计方法.首先根据射电源的空间分布以及流量密度特性,确定了测地VLBI和航天器VLBI观测模式下射电源流量密度的要求.在此基础上建立了2种观测模式下时延误差与深空干涉测量天线G/T之间的关系模型.最后参考目前国际国内测地VLBI观测中的通用参数设置以及月球探测任务中航天器VLBI观测的参数设置,对不同观测任务、不同观测模式下的G/T要求进行仿真分析.综合测地VLBI和航天器VLBI观测仿真分析的结果,S频段G/T建议不小于32 dB/K,X频段G/T建议不小于43 dB/K.仿真分析结果可以作为后续深空干涉测量天线G/T设计的参考.     

Improving dUT1 from VLBI intensive sessions with GRAD gradients and ray-traced delays

Exact knowledge of the angle of Earth rotation UT1 with respect to coordinated time UTC, dUT1, is essential for all space geodetic techniques. The only technique which is capable of determining dUT1 is Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). So-called Intensive VLBI sessions are performed on a daily basis in order to provide dUT1. Due to the reduced geometry of Intensive sessions, there is however no possibility to estimate tropospheric gradients from the observations, which limits the accuracy of the resulting dUT1 significantly. This paper deals with introducing the information on azimuthal asymmetry from external sources, thus attempting to improve the dUT1 estimates. We use the discrete horizontal gradients GRAD and the empirical horizontal gradients GPT3 as well as ray-traced delays from the VieVS ray-tracer for this purpose, which can all be downloaded from the VMF server of TU Wien (http://vmf.geo.tuwien.ac.at). The results show that this strategy indeed improves the dUT1 estimates when compared to reference values from multi-station VLBI stations, namely by up to 15%. When converted to length-of-day (LOD), the estimates can be compared to LODs from global analyses of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Here, the improvement amounts to up to 7% compared to neglecting a priori information on azimuthal asymmetry.     

The crustal dynamics data information system: A resource to support scientific analysis using space geodesy

Since 1982, the Crustal Dynamics Data Information System (CDDIS) has supported the archive and distribution of geodetic data products acquired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as well as national and international programs. The CDDIS provides easy, timely, and reliable access to a variety of data sets, products, and information about these data. These measurements, obtained from a global network of nearly 650 instruments at more than 400 distinct sites, include DORIS (Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite), GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), SLR and LLR (Satellite and Lunar Laser Ranging), and VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry). The CDDIS data system and its archive have become increasingly important to many national and international science communities, particularly several of the operational services within the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and its observing system the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS), including the International DORIS Service (IDS), the International GNSS Service (IGS), the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), the International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry (IVS), and the International Earth rotation and Reference frame Service (IERS). Investigations resulting from the data and products available through the CDDIS support research in many aspects of Earth system science and global change. Each month, the CDDIS archives more than one million data and derived product files totaling over 90 Gbytes in volume. In turn, the global user community downloads nearly 1.2 Tbytes (over 10.5 million files) of data and products from the CDDIS each month. The requirements of analysts have evolved since the start of the CDDIS; the specialized nature of the system accommodates the enhancements required to support diverse data sets and user needs. This paper discusses the CDDIS, including background information about the system and its user communities, archive contents, available metadata, and future plans.     

中国VLBI网火星快车卫星跟踪资料的定位归算

我国已经启动了火星探测计划, 中国VLBI网（CVN）将肩负起相关探测器的测轨与定位任务     

Space VLBI: from first ideas to operational missions

The operational period of the first generation of dedicated Space VLBI (SVLBI) missions commenced in 1997 with the launch of the Japan-led mission VSOP/HALCA and is coming to closure in 2019 with the completion of in-flight operations of the Russia-led mission RadioAstron. They were preceded by the SVLBI demonstration experiment with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) in 1986–1988. While the comprehensive lessons learned from the first demonstration experiment and two dedicated SVLBI missions are still awaiting thorough attention, several preliminary conclusions can be made. This paper addresses some issues of implementation of these missions as they progressed over four decades from the original SVLBI concepts to the operational status.     

一种宽带信道群时延测量方法

针对VLBI(Very Long Baseline Interferometry,甚长基线干涉测量)系统直接相位差分法的群时延测量精度与分辨率存在矛盾,以及线性最小二乘拟合法不适用于群时延失真链路的问题,采用一种基于非线性拟合的宽带信道群时延测量方法,对出现的问题进行分析与仿真,同时进行了实验验证并获取到实测数据。仿真表明,基于非线性拟合的宽带信道群时延测量方法适用于非线性相位系统,而且群时延的测量精度优于直接相位差分法2个量级。实测数据表明,在270~370 MHz频段内,传统的直接相位差分法和线性拟合测量法已失效,而该方法群时延的测量精度优于0.1ns,由此验证非线性拟合法能够以较高精度进行附加相位和群时延特性测量。     

RadioAstron probes the ultra-fine spatial structure in the H2O maser emission in the star forming region W49N

H₂O maser emission associated with the massive star formation region W49N were observed with the Space-VLBI mission RadioAstron. The procedure for processing of the maser spectral line data obtained in the RadioAstron observations is described. Ultra-fine spatial structures in the maser emission were detected on space-ground baselines of up to 9.6 Earth diameters. The correlated flux densities of these features range from 0.1% to 0.6% of the total flux density. These low values of correlated flux density are probably due to turbulence either in the maser itself or in the interstellar medium.