A new adaptive estimation method of spacecraft thermal mathematical model with an ensemble Kalman filter

An adaptive estimation method of spacecraft thermal mathematical model is presented. The method is based on the ensemble Kalman filter, which can effectively handle the nonlinearities contained in the thermal model. The state space equations of the thermal mathematical model is derived, where both temperature and uncertain thermal characteristic parameters are considered as the state variables. In the method, the thermal characteristic parameters are automatically estimated as the outputs of the filtered state variables, whereas, in the usual thermal model correlation, they are manually identified by experienced engineers using trial-and-error approach. A numerical experiment of a simple small satellite is provided to verify the effectiveness of the presented method.     

On the stability of spinning satellites

We study the directional stability of rigid and deformable spinning satellites in terms of two attitude angles. The linearized attitude motion of a free system about an assumed uniform-spin reference solution leads to a generic MGK system when the satellite is rigid or deformable. In terms of Lyapunov’s stability theory, we investigate the stability with respect to a subset of the variables. For a rigid body, the MGK system is 6-dimensional, i.e., 3 rotational and 3 translational variables. When flexible parts are present the system can have any arbitrary dimension. The 2×2 McIntyre–Myiagi stability matrix gives sufficient conditions for the attitude stability. A further development of this method has led to the Equivalent Rigid Body method. We propose an alternative practical method to establish sufficiency conditions for directional stability by using the Frobenius–Schur reduction formula. As practical applications we discuss a spinning satellite augmented with a spring–mass system and a rigid body appended with two cables and tip masses. In practice, the attitude stability must also be investigated when the spinning satellite is subject to a constant axial thrust. The generic format becomes MGKN as the thrust is a follower force. For a perfectly aligned thrust along the spin axis, Lyapunov’s indirect method remains valid also when deformable parts are present. We illustrate this case with an apogee motor burn in the presence of slag. When the thrust is not on the spin axis or not pointing parallel to the spin axis, the uniform-spin reference motion does not exist and none of the previous methods is applicable. In this case, the linearization may be performed about the initial state. Even when the linearized system has bounded solutions, the non-linear system can be unstable in general. We illustrate this situation by an instability that actually happened in-flight during a station-keeping maneuver of ESA’s GEOS-I satellite in 1979.     

0.8m 风洞风扇系统的设计和运转

为提高低速风洞的最大风速，根本的措施是设计高转速大功率的风扇系统。风扇系统的设计首先在于有一个良好的设计方法，选择高升阻比的风扇翼型，根据需要恰当地确定设计工况点，合理选择桨叶和反扭导流片的各个参数，如桨毂比、实度、升力系数和圆弧角等。设计中针对已经设计的外形，进行性能计算，可以迅速鉴别设计的优劣，检查是否能满足设计要求，节约研制成本和缩短周期。     

Very low frequency interferometry for the Chang’E-2 project

Very low frequency interferometry among two astronomical experiments has been proposed and accepted for further study for the second phase of China’s lunar exploration programme (the Chang’E Programme), which is envisaged to operate a lander and a rover on the surface of the moon. This experiment is an interferometer experiment in the very low frequency (VLF, f < 15 MHz) regime of radio frequencies with at least degree-level angular resolution. The goals include observing solar storm activities, Coronal Mass Ejections, Auroral Kilometric Radiation, and planetary radiation in the solar system, studying the origin of Cosmic Rays, spectral properties of pulsars, surveying ionized hydrogen in the Galaxy, and exploring coherent radio emissions.     

基于CCSDS MO服务参考模型公共服务接口设计

为提高飞行器任务运控系统的可重用性和可扩展性,对基于CCSDS(空间数据系统咨询委员会)MO(任务运营)服务参考模型的系统设计和实现方法进行了研究。针对MO服务参考模型的核心服务层,以我国飞行器任务运控系统的需求为出发点,在分析了MO服务参考框架、MO服务定义、运控功能服务定义和公共服务组成的基础上,对MO各公共服务的接口进行了分析与设计。采用面向对象方法学、设计模式等理念,设计并实现了相关公共服务接口。通过向运控功能服务提供API(应用程序接口),可以支持系统应用层开发。这为建立符合CCSDS MO服务参考模型的飞行器任务运控系统,并实现系统的可扩展性和可重用性提供了支持。     

Results of Kirari optical communication demonstration experiments with NICT optical ground station (KODEN) aiming for future classical and quantum communications in space

Bi-directional ground-to-satellite laser communication experiments were successfully performed between the optical ground station developed by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), located in Koganei City in suburban Tokyo, and a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, the “Kirari” Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS). The experiments were conducted in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and called the Kirari Optical communication Demonstration Experiments with the NICT optical ground station (or KODEN). The ground-to-OICETS laser communication experiment was the first in-orbit demonstration involving the LEO satellite. The laser communication experiment was conducted since March 2006. The polarization characteristics of an artificial laser source in space, such as Stokes parameters, and the degree of polarization were measured through space-to-ground atmospheric transmission paths, which results contribute to the link estimation for quantum key distribution via space and provide the potential for enhancements in quantum cryptography on a global scale in the future. The Phase-5 experiment, international laser communications experiments were also successfully conducted with four optical ground stations located in the United States, Spain, Germany, and Japan from April 2009 to September 2009. The purpose of the Phase-5 experiment was to establish OICETS-to-ground laser communication links from the different optical ground stations and the statistical analyses such as the normalized power, scintillation index, probability density function, auto-covariance function, and power spectral density were performed. Thus the applicability of the satellite laser communications was demonstrated, aiming not only for geostationary earth orbit-LEO links but also for ground-to-LEO optical links. This paper presents the results of the KODEN experiments and mainly introduces the common analyses among the different optical ground stations.     

Modifying the atlas of low lunar orbits using inert tethers

For long enough tethers, the coupling of the attitude and orbital dynamics may show non-negligible effects in the orbital motion of a tethered satellite about a central body. In the case of fast rotating tethers the attitude remains constant, on average, up to second order effects. Besides, for a tether rotating in a plane parallel to the equatorial plane of the central body, the attitude–orbit coupling effect is formally equal to the perturbation of the Keplerian motion produced by the oblateness of the central body and, therefore, may have a stabilizing effect in the orbital dynamics. In the case of a tethered satellite in a low lunar orbit, it is demonstrated that feasible tether lengths can help in modifying the actual map of lunar frozen orbits.     

Solar flare forecasting model supported with artificial neural network techniques

Nowadays operational models for solar activity forecasting are still based on the statistical relationship between solar activity and solar magnetic field evolution. In order to set up this relationship, many parameters have been proposed to be the measures. Conventional measures are based on the sunspot group classification which provides limited information from sunspots. For this reason, new measures based on solar magnetic field observations are proposed and a solar flare forecasting model supported with an artificial neural network is introduced. This model is equivalent to a person with a long period of solar flare forecasting experience.     

鱼游动涡结构PIV实验研究

鱼类逃逸和巡游已逐渐成为鱼类仿生推进水动力学领域的研究热点，其研究结果为水下航行器推进技术提供了很好的理论基础和指导意义。利用平面PIV技术测量了斑马鱼在水中游动时的尾迹流场，分析了不同游动状态下的鱼尾迹涡结构的变化规律；同时利用Tomo-PIV技术测量了曼龙鱼游尾迹三维流场，获得了涡环链结构。结果表明:不同游动状态下，鱼游尾迹表现出不同的流动结构和尾迹模式，对其进行研究有利于进一步揭示鱼游动的水动力学机理。     

Experimental investigation and correlation development of jet impingement heat transfer with two rows of aligned jet holes on an internal surface of a wing leading edge

Extensive experimental studies on the heat transfer characteristics of two rows of aligned jet holes impinging on a concave surface in a wing leading edge were conducted, where50000 Rej 90000, 1.74 H/d 27.5, 66° a 90°, and 13.2 r/d 42.03. The finding was that the heat transfer performance at the jet-impingement stagnation point with two rows of aligned jet holes was the same as that with a single row of jet holes or the middle row of three-row configurations when the circumferential angle of the two jet holes was larger than 30°. The attenuation coefficient distribution of the jet impingement heat transfer in the chordwise direction was so complicated that two zones were divided for a better analysis. It indicated that: the attenuation coefficient curve in the jet impingement zone exhibited an approximate upside-down bell shape with double peaks and a single valley; the attenuation coefficient curve in the non-jet impingement zone was like a half-bell shape, which was similar to that with three rows of aligned jet holes; the factors,including Rej, H/d and r/d, affected the attenuation coefficient value at the valley significantly.When r/d was increased from 30.75 to 42.03, the attenuation rates of attenuation coefficient increased only by 1.8%. Consequently, experimental data-based correlation equations of the Nusselt number for the heat transfer at the jet-impingement stagnation point and the distributionof the attenuation coefficient in the chordwise direction were acquired, which play an important role in designing the wing leading edge anti-icing system with two rows of aligned jet holes.