ASTROSAT

The ASTROSAT satellite is an Indian National Space Observatory under development in India. Due for launch in 2010, ASTROSAT will carry a complement of five scientific instruments enabling simultaneous observations from the optical through to the hard X-ray energy band. This capability will enable broad-band spectroscopy and high time-resolution monitoring of both galactic and extra-galactic targets, such as X-ray binaries and AGN. One of the instruments is being built in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency and another in collaboration with the University of Leicester. ASTROSAT also carries a scanning sky monitor to observe the variable X-ray sky. After an initial period of science verification and guaranteed time, a certain fraction of ASTROSAT observing time will also be made available to the community via a call for proposals. Here I summarise the instrument complement and principle scientific objectives of the mission.     

夜气辉对天基光学碎片探测的影响分析

设计并完成了夜气辉背景下的天基碎片观测试验，获取了综合谱段的观测数据。基于观测数据进行夜气辉的辐射特性及其对天基碎片探测的影响分析。结果表明，夜气辉辐射随纬度和高度呈现一定的分布特点，这些特点均符合夜气辉的理论分布规律。在约90 km处辐射最强，亮度可达到单位积分时间每平方角秒近15星等，这对恒星及碎片提取概率影响较大，其中，13等星的提取概率仅为40.5%。     

天基强银河背景下的空间碎片探测试验及分析

本文设计并完成了银河背景下碎片探测试验，数据分析表明，强的银河背景会降低探测器对暗弱碎片的探测能力，但对碎片的天文定位精度影响不大。本文验证了采用基于探测概率的极限探测星等方法表征探测器极限探测能力的合理性，以及基于仿真的方法增加数据完备度的可行性。本文的工作将为后续天基探测器的设计及探测试验的开展提供依据。     

基于天基光学探测图像初析南大西洋异常区影响

文章针对目前在轨运行的高灵敏度探测类可见光遥感器经过南大西洋异常区（SouthAtlanticAnomaly,SAA）时出现的探测能力降低、目标无法识别等现象,通过卫星在轨获取的SAA天基探测图像研究图像中出现的异常现象机理;提出了基于CCD探测器固有暗像元区的图像特征变化开展SAA影响评估的方法,根据在轨图像暗像元区的均值和标准差、图像区的热像素及活像元等特征参数的统计分析,判断经过SAA过程中连续获取的图像中出现显著影响时的拐点,通过曲线拟合估算出该轨道高度的SAA空间分布特征和边界,依此进一步提出利用在轨天基探测图像给出测量影响该轨道高度卫星SAA区域边界的简单方法;最后,基于SAA对天基探测器件的影响分析结果和认识,给出了高灵敏度探测类卫星避免或消除SAA影响的改进措施和建议。文章采用的数据分析和评估方法为提升SAA对天基探测影响的认识,以及下一步有效开展空间碎片探测工作提供参考。     

一种天基光学GEO目标定位方法及初轨算法观测几何评价

提出一种基于天基光学短弧观测数据对GEO区目标进行定位的方法,以GEO区目标半径、偏心率为几何约束,通过最小二乘法估计目标位置、速度,估计结果可作为初轨算法的输入,也可以为初值预测轨道,引导其它平台对目标观测。利用广义Laplace初轨算法对多平台多观测弧段处理,为表征观测几何对定轨性能的影响,将几何精度因子(GOP)扩展到多平台多观测弧段,并引入几何精度因子的误差灵敏度(ESGOP)表征测量误差对观测几何的影响,仿真结果表明:对GEO目标而言,当GOP不小于0.03、ESGOP不大于0.005时,对目标的初轨精度可控制在50km之内。     

具有外部扰动及不确定系统参数的漂浮基空间机器人关节运动的增广鲁棒控制

讨论了载体位置与姿态均不受控制的漂浮基空间机器人系统的鲁棒控制问题. 利用拉格朗日方法及系统动量守恒关系导出了漂浮基空间机器人欠驱动形式的系统动力学方程, 以确保得到的系统动力学方程关于一组适当选择的组合惯性参数呈线性函数关系. 在此基础上, 借助增广变量法针对末端爪手所持载荷参数存在不确定的情况, 提出了对外部扰动具有鲁棒性的漂浮基空间机器人关节空间轨迹跟踪的拟增广鲁棒控制方案. 所提控制方案由于充分利用空间机器人系统动量守恒关系, 消除了动力学方程中载体位置相关量, 因此具有不需要测量、反馈载体的位置、移动速度和移动加速度的显著优点; 且由于对系统不确定参数及外部扰动始终采用保持鲁棒性的方式而非在线估计的方式, 有效减少了计算量, 因此更适用于机载计算机运算能力有限的空间机器人控制系统实时在线应用. 一个平面两杆空间机器人系统的数值模拟仿真, 证实了方法的有效性.      

Feasibility of performing space surveillance tasks with a proposed space-based optical architecture

Under ESA contract an industrial consortium including Aboa Space Research Oy (ASRO), the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB), and the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR), proposed the observation concept, developed a suitable sensor architecture, and assessed the performance of a space-based optical (SBO) telescope in 2005. The goal of the SBO study was to analyse how the existing knowledge gap in the space debris population in the millimetre and centimetre regime may be closed by means of a passive optical instrument. The SBO instrument was requested to provide statistical information on the space debris population in terms of number of objects and size distribution. The SBO instrument was considered to be a cost-efficient with 20 cm aperture and 6° field-of-view and having flexible integration requirements. It should be possible to integrate the SBO instrument easily as a secondary payload on satellites launched into low-Earth orbits (LEO), or into geostationary orbit (GEO). Thus the selected mission concept only allowed for fix-mounted telescopes, and the pointing direction could be requested freely. Since 2007 ESA focuses space surveillance and tracking activities in the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) preparatory program. Ground-based radars and optical telescopes are studied for the build-up and maintenance of a catalogue of objects. In this paper we analyse how the proposed SBO architecture could contribute to the space surveillance tasks survey and tracking. We assume that the SBO instrumentation is placed into a circular sun-synchronous orbit at 800 km altitude. We discuss the observation conditions of objects at higher altitude, and select an orbit close to the terminator plane. A pointing of the sensor orthogonal to the orbital plane with optimal elevation slightly in positive direction (0° and +5°) is found optimal for accessing the entire GEO regime within one day, implying a very good coverage of controlled objects in GEO, too. Simulations using ESA’s Program for Radar and Optical Observation Forecasting (PROOF) in the version 2005 and a GEO reference population extracted from DISCOS revealed that the proposed pointing scenario provides low phase angles together with low angular velocities of the objects crossing the field-of-view. Radiometric simulations show that the optimal exposure time is 1–2 s, and that spherical objects in GEO with a diameter of below 1 m can be detected. The GEO population can be covered under proper illumination nearly completely, but seasonal drops of the coverage are possible. Subsequent observations of objects are on average at least every 1.5 days, not exceeding 3 days at maximum. A single observation arc spans 3° to 5° on average. Using a simulation environment that connects PROOF to AIUB’s program system CelMech we verify the consistency of the initial orbit determination for five selected test objects on subsequent days as a function of realistic astrometric noise levels. The initial orbit determination is possible. We define requirements for a correlator process essential for catalogue build-up and maintenance. Each single observation should provide an astrometric accuracy of at least 1”–1.5” so that the initially determined orbits are consistent within a few hundred kilometres for the semi-major axis, 0.01 for the eccentricity, and 0.1° for the inclination.     

HIRDES – The High-Resolution Double-Echelle Spectrograph for the World Space Observatory Ultraviolet (WSO/UV)

The World Space Observatory Ultraviolet (WSO/UV) is a multi-national project grown out of the needs of the astronomical community to have future access to the UV range. WSO/UV consists of a single UV telescope with a primary mirror of 1.7 m diameter feeding the UV spectrometer and UV imagers. The spectrometer comprises three different spectrographs, two high-resolution echelle spectrographs (the High-Resolution Double-Echelle Spectrograph, HIRDES) and a low-dispersion long-slit instrument. Within HIRDES the 102–310 nm spectral band is split to feed two echelle spectrographs covering the UV range 174–310 nm and the vacuum-UV range 102–176 nm with high spectral resolution (R > 50,000). The technical concept is based on the heritage of two previous ORFEUS SPAS missions. The phase-B1 development activities are described in this paper considering performance aspects, design drivers, related trade-offs (mechanical concepts, material selection etc.) and a critical functional and environmental test verification approach. The current state of other WSO/UV scientific instruments (imagers) is also described.     

基于天通卫星系统的天基测控技术

针对卫星测控资源紧缺的现状,为满足未来大规模卫星用户对测控资源的使用便利性这一需求,研究利用天通卫星进行近地低轨卫星测控服务的能力。天通作为高轨移动通信卫星系统,具有传输实时方便、服务安全可靠和综合效费比高等多方面的特点。首先,分析了天通卫星对不同倾角、轨道高度卫星的测控覆盖时长,以及对载人航天任务空间站和火箭进行测控的服务能力。然后,基于天通民用系统现有的系统架构,详细介绍了天通系统支持低轨测控的系统改造方案以及工作流程。最后,结合目前的技术发展趋势和天通卫星能力现状,描述了天通卫星在天基测控和低速中继两种任务场景中的应用前景。     

弹道导弹中段监视与跟踪仿真系统设计

随着反导防御系统的发展,弹道导弹突防将受到更大的威胁,而弹道导弹中段是攻防对抗集中体现的区域。本文以美国的天基红外预警系统为参考,对弹道导弹中段监视与跟踪仿真系统进行了研究,提出了仿真系统的体系结构,并对仿真模型的具体实现进行了详细的描述。系统的建立可为弹道导弹作战模拟提供研究平台,并可对面向空间预警的信息处理算法进行评估,为中段反导作战的具体影响提供有益的参考信息。