Application of a modified generalized sail model on a solar sail with wrinkles

In this paper, we present an analysis of effect of wrinkles on the solar sail performance. We describe different analytical, semi-analytical and numerical approaches to the calculation of general large-scale curvature of a solar sail as well as parameters of so-called wrinkled domains, and introduce the impact of such wrinkles on the thrust and torque of the solar sail. Finally, we present a model of an optically-orthotropic surface for such non-ideal sail, providing a connection with the Generalized Sail Model, and other solar sail thrust models.     

A simple control law for reducing the effective characteristic acceleration of a solar sail

The direction and magnitude of a solar sail acceleration are strongly related. For this reason, once the characteristic acceleration has been fixed, it is not possible to modulate the acceleration in a particular direction. In this work, a semi-analytical switching control law is derived, enabling a solar sail to emulate a smaller effective characteristic acceleration (without changes in geometry or optical properties); by periodically changing the pitch (cone) angle of the sail, in average over time, the acceleration produced by the sail matches exactly (in both direction and magnitude) that of a “smaller” sail. The range in which this is possible is determined, and the limitations on this range due to the size difference is computed. The method is validated on optimal Earth-Mars trajectories.     

Solar sailing in realistic mode,based on a locally-optimal control laws

Ballistic design of solar sailing missions in the solar system is composed of defining the design parameters, the control programs, and the trajectories that provide performance goals of a flight. The use of a solar sail spacecraft imposes specific restrictions on mission parameters that include the degradation limit on the flight duration, the maximum temperature of solar sail's surface, the minimum distance from the Sun, the maximum angular velocity of the spacecraft's rotation and others.Many authors considered the impact of these restrictions on the design of the mission separately, but they used a sophisticated method of finding the exact optimal motion control or applied the most straightforward laws of motion control. This paper uses local-optimal control laws at the complete mathematical models of motion and functioning of solar sail spacecraft to describe a technique of designing interplanetary missions. The described method avoids the need to obtain an accurate optimal solution to the control problem and does not cause significant computational difficulties.     

Contingency target assessment,trajectory design,and analysis for NASA’s NEA scout solar sail mission

The presented study examines contingency target selection and trajectory design for NASA’s Near-Earth Asteroid Scout mission under the assumption of a missed lunar gravity assist. Two previously considered asteroids are selected as potential targets for the given scenario based on favorable orbital characteristics for launch dates ranging from June 27, 2020 through July 26, 2020. Initially, a simplified circular restricted 3-body problem + ideal solar sail model is utilized to survey trajectory options for a month-long launch window. Selected solutions from this data set are then converged in an N-body ephemeris + non-ideal sail model. Results suggest that NEA Scout can still perform asteroid rendezvous mission under the missed lunar gravity assist scenario with new targets, 2019 GF1, 2018 PK21, and 2007 UN12, based on the target launch dates. Further target assessment is carried out for 165 days beyond the current June 27, 2020 launch date.     

基于EM‑EKF的深空光学自主导航系统光轴偏差补偿算法

在深空探测任务中,光学自主导航的精度受导航敏感器件安装精度的影响较大。提出了一种基于期望最大化-扩展卡尔曼滤波(EM-EKF)的光学自主导航系统光轴偏差补偿算法。算法基于条件概率的思想,预先设定状态变量和观测量的统计特性参数,通过不断地最大化条件期望,得到出现概率最大的状态变量估值和光轴偏差参数估值。该算法可分为4步:EKF、固定区间平滑、求解条件期望和期望最大化,不断迭代即可得到光轴偏差估计值。以火星探测近火段为例进行仿真验证,经光轴偏差补偿后,导航精度由100 km提升至20 km以内。     

基于幅频响应特性的半球谐振子频率裂解与固有刚度轴方位角测定方法

半球谐振子频率裂解与固有刚度轴方位角是影响陀螺性能指标的核心因素。提出了一种基于幅频响应特性的半球谐振子频率裂解与固有刚度轴方位角测定方法，采用压电激振台扫频激振，多普勒激光测振仪检测谐振子的幅频响应特性，通过幅频响应特性曲线分析实现频率裂解与固有刚度轴方位角的测定。对该方法进行了理论分析，搭建了实验装置，并对半球谐振子进行了测试，结果表明：该方法频率裂解测量精度优于0.01Hz，固有频率主轴方位角确定精度优于±1.17°，具有良好的可行性，在半球谐振陀螺研制方面具有良好的参考意义。     

Ionospheric total electron content response to annular solar eclipse on June 21, 2020

The effects of physical events on the ionosphere structure is an important field of study, especially for navigation and radio communication. The paper presents the spatio-temporal ionospheric TEC response to the recent annular solar eclipse on June 21, 2020, which spans across two continents, Africa and Asia, and 14 countries. This eclipse took place on the same day as the June Solstice. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based TEC data of the Global Ionosphere Maps (GIMs), 9 International GNSS Service (IGS) stations and FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 (F7/C2) were utilized to analyze TEC response during the eclipse. The phases of the TEC time series were determined by taking the difference of the observed TEC values on eclipse day from the previous 5-day median TEC values. The results showed clear depletions in the TEC time series on June 21. These decreases were between 1 and 9 TECU (15–60%) depending on the location of IGS stations. The depletions are relatively higher at the stations close to the path of annular eclipse than those farther away. Furthermore, a reduction of about ?10 TECU in the form of an equatorial plasma bubble (EPB) was observed in GIMs at ~20° away from the equator towards northpole, between 08:00–11:00 UT where its maximum phase is located in southeast Japan. Additionally, an overall depletion of ~10% was observed in F7/C2 derived TEC at an altitude of 240 km (hmF2) in all regions affected by the solar eclipse, whereas, significant TEC fluctuations between the altitudes of 100 km ? 140 km were analyzed using the Savitzky-Golay smoothing filter. To prove TEC depletions are not caused by space weather, the variation of the sunspot number (SSN), solar wind (V_SW), disturbance storm-time (Dst), and Kp indices were investigated from 16th to 22nd June. The quiet space weather before and during the solar eclipse proved that the observed depletions in the TEC time series and profiles were caused by the annular solar eclipse.     

Statistical characteristics of low latitude Pc4s: Influence of solar wind and IMF parameters

Pc4 signatures for the year 2013, extracted from geomagnetic north–south and east–west components of induction coil magnetometer (LEMI 30) from low latitude station Desalpar (DSP), operated by Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), India have been investigated vis-à-vis the prevalent interplanetary parameters (IMF) as well as the geomagnetic activity indices. A clear dominance of Pc4-5 (467 events) over Pc3 (17 events) is observed. Local time variation of Pc4 shows a peak in the noon sector in both X and Y components. Our investigations show that the dominant peak frequency is 10 mHz at low latitude region. Correlations with solar wind and IMF parameters illustrate highest occurrence of Pc4 for a solar wind speed of 300–400 km/s and average IMF B field of 3–6 nT. The amplitude of Pc4s at DSP shows an increase with increasing solar wind speed, plasma density, solar wind dynamic pressure and average B field which is also reflected in the trend of frequency variation of these pulsations. We report that IMF clock angle at low latitude does not have influence on Pc4 occurrence. Based on the characteristics of these events, detected in latitudinally distributed stations from low and mid-latitudes from northern and southern hemisphere, we infer that modes were compressional, which could be driven by K-H instability or solar wind dynamic pressure, as compressional modes can propagate to low latitude with little attenuation.     

控制力矩陀螺轴承组件摩擦力矩特性研究

控制力矩陀螺轴承组件是空间飞行器姿态控制系统的核心部件，其轴承的性能直接影响着空间飞行器姿态控制系统的控制精度和使用寿命，甚至危及空间飞行器安全.对于控制力矩陀螺轴承组件，轴承摩擦力矩大小及其波动性是轴承的关键性能指标，针对空间飞行器控制力矩陀螺轴承组件，在滚动轴承摩擦学和动力学基础上，建立六自由度控制力矩陀螺轴承组件非线性动力学微分方程组，并采用预估 校正的GSTIFF(Gear stiff)变步长积分算法进行求解，对其在有/无重力的工作环境、公 自转工况、轴承预紧力以及保持架兜孔间隙对轴承摩擦力矩幅值及其波动性的影响进行分析.分析结果表明：预紧力对轴承组件摩擦力矩影响显著，预紧力过大或过小都不利于降低摩擦力矩及其波动性，对于本文分析的轴承组件最佳预紧力为50~55N；保持架稳定性受重力影响显著，无重力时自转工况下保持架较稳定；过小的兜孔间隙会使摩擦力矩增大，过大的兜孔间隙会使摩擦力矩波动性增大，存在最优兜孔间隙使得摩擦力矩及其波动性都较小，针对本文分析型号的轴承组件，间隙比应控制在0.6~0.8之间.     

一种小天体旋转参数估计方法

小天体旋转参数是科学数据，也是小天体测绘，着陆导航的基础数据.研究一种在小天体探测接近段过程中使用的基于图像上特征点跟踪和扩展卡尔曼滤波器的小天体旋转参数估计方法.该方法首先建立小天体旋转关系模型，表示小天体在相机坐标系中的姿态变化；然后定义小天体旋转的状态方程，推到了扩展卡尔曼滤波器的计算过程.通过对观测图像序列上的特征点跟踪，利用扩展卡尔曼滤波器方法得到小天体旋转轴指向和自转角速度估计.实验中，在仿真相机与小天体相机100 km距离上，分析了相机坐标系小天体坐标系之间的四元数初值，图像上特征点跟踪精度，相机的观测指向等因素对小天体旋转参数估计精度的影响.实验结果表明，提出的基于图像特征点跟踪和扩展卡尔曼滤波器的小天体旋转参数估计方法能够得到具有较高精度的估计结果.