一种基于TLE数据的轨道异常分析方法

空间在轨物体的轨道异常是航天工程及预警领域普遍关注的问题,及时发现轨道异常意义重大,通过分析空间物体的轨道异常,可以及时发现和识别规避事件或碰撞事件,还可以了解监测网的能力.本文提出一种基于TLE数据的简单的轨道异常分析方法——长半轴变化法.该方法快速有效,应用到低轨在用卫星和美俄解体碎片的异常分析中,异常物体正确识别率可达到100%;对美俄解体碎片进行轨道异常分析后得出,美国空间监视网可以稳定探测90%以上的解体碎片.      

静止轨道碎片清除飞行器概念研究

1 引言 目前,静止轨道上运行着大约450颗卫星,而随着航天技术的不断发展,静止轨道将变得越来越拥挤;另一方面,静止轨道空间碎片有1200多个,主要包括运载火箭末子级或上面级、废弃卫星、卫星分离物及卫星爆炸或碰撞后产生的碎片,这些空间碎片占据了宝贵的轨道资源,不仅造成了资源浪费,而且严重影响在轨卫星的生存,对空间碎片进行在轨清除成为空间技术发展的重要趋势之一.     

卫星规避方案量化分析方法研究

空间碎片数量日益增多,为保护在轨卫星的运行安全,需要针对碎片碰撞制定规避方案,用来规避碰撞风险.本文在调研国外卫星规避机动流程的基础上,分别研究了卫星规避相关的轨道机动方式、轨道预报模型以及交会风险计算模型,建立了卫星规避方案量化分析方法,为规避方案的选择提供参考.      

他山之石 可以攻玉——国外卫星在轨操作系统发展分析

卫星在轨操作任务主要包括在轨燃料加注、在轨模块更换、在轨发射、在轨空间碎片清除等。值得指出的是,在轨操作可以针对己方航天器进行,也可以针对敌方航天器进行。能够通过在轨加注延长航天器寿命,也可以利用交会对接和空间机械手技术将敌方航天器拖离目标轨道,具有巨大的商业和军用潜力。     

基于模糊应力—强度模型的空间系绳碰撞可靠性

空间系绳系统由于其特殊的组成结构日益受到关注,空间系绳的碰撞可靠性研究是系绳任务设计的重要一环.本文采用可靠性分析基本原理中的应力—强度模型,根据近地轨道的空间碎片通量和泊松分布方法,进行空间系绳在轨碰撞可靠性的研究分析.根据对空间系绳碰撞可靠性有影响的系绳结构因素,即单股系绳的直径、长度,双股系绳的绳间距、碰撞角等,对空间碎片撞击切割系绳后碰撞点处的系绳剩余截面进行建模,利用模糊应力—强度模型计算空间系绳在撞击后发生毁灭性碰撞的概率,进而根据泊松方法计算空间系绳在轨可靠性随时间的变化,通过仿真分析,对比不同结构空间系绳的有效在轨时间.      

太空中的潜在杀手

<正>2015年2月3日,美国空军"国防气象卫星计划"-13在轨发生爆炸式解体,卫星在800千米的低地轨道上解体为大约40片。由于碎片区域比欧空局卫星星座高大约100千米,而且这些碎片将在数年到数十年内缓慢降轨。为了防范出现任何方式的风险,欧洲空间局空间碎片办公室启动了紧急防范措施,随时准备"碰撞规避机动"。这不是杞人忧天,因为太空碰撞早已不是新鲜事。     

追寻美俄卫星相撞的黑匣子

今年2月11日美俄卫星相撞之后,国内外航天专家已将主要精力放在搜索和跟踪碰撞所产生的碎片云上,以评估这些碎片对在轨飞行卫星和空间站的危害性.     

利用精化误差进行危险交会分析

空间碎片碰撞预警工作主要针对的是可监测的较大空间碎片, 预测航天器与碎片之间的碰撞风险, 并根据一定的预警判据来评估风险的大小, 进而做出合理的轨道规避决策. 碰撞概率是碰撞风险评估的重要依据. 复合体尺寸、交会距离和误差是影响碰撞概率的三个决定性因素. 当复合体尺寸与交会距离差别不大时, 误差因素对碰撞概率结果起着决定性的作用. 在利用整天误差计算碰撞概率的基础上, 提出了利用精化误差计算碰撞概率的方法, 在危险交会分析中取得了良好的效果.      

嫦娥五号飞行试验器服务舱环月期间的角动量管理

对环月地轨道环绕卫星所受重力梯度力矩进行了分析.在分析的基础上,利用在轨飞行数据得到卫星实际质量特性,并设计俯仰姿态偏置的方法,实现卫星重力梯度配平.通过嫦娥五号服务舱的实际在轨飞行,证明重力梯度配平方法可以降低星体所受重力梯度力矩,达到延长卸载周期的目的.     

基于高斯伪谱法的碰撞规避策略研究

为保证在轨卫星运行安全，对于碰撞概率较高的空间交会情况需要进行规避机动，防止在轨卫星与空间碎片碰撞.选取连续推力策略进行规避机动，将空间碰撞规避过程转化为满足复杂约束的最优控制问题，采用高斯伪谱法对最优控制律进行求解，求解结果满足相应约束.研究结果为航天器有效规避空间碰撞威胁提供了有力支持.      

A simple and valid analysis method for orbit anomaly detection

A simple analysis method for orbit anomaly detection, called semi-major axis change method (SACM) was presented by using a relationship between the change of orbit parameters and velocity increments. In this method, the mean value and standard deviation of the semi-major axis change in different time intervals were first calculated according to historical data. Then, these two parameters, the mean value and standard deviation of the semi-major axis change, are chosen as basis variables and combined as an anomalous criterion. For orbit objects with different characteristic, anomalous thresholds were given in different time intervals for identifying the anomalies of the orbital objects. Finally, this method is used for low earth orbit (LEO) satellites and American–Russian breakup debris. By adopting this method, the characteristics of the orbit change were given. The accuracy rate of anomaly analysis for LEO satellites and American–Russian breakup debris can reach to 100%, which demonstrates that the method was rapid and valid.     

Improved orbit predictions using two-line elements

The density of orbital space debris constitutes an increasing environmental challenge. There are two ways to alleviate the problem: debris mitigation and debris removal. This paper addresses collision avoidance, a key aspect of debris mitigation. We describe a method that contributes to achieving a requisite increase in orbit prediction accuracy for objects in the publicly available two-line element (TLE) catalog. Batch least-squares differential correction is applied to the TLEs. Using a high-precision numerical propagator, we fit an orbit to state vectors derived from successive TLEs. We then propagate the fitted orbit further forward in time. These predictions are validated against precision ephemeris data derived from the international laser ranging service (ILRS) for several satellites, including objects in the congested sun-synchronous orbital region. The method leads to a predicted range error that increases at a typical rate of 100 m per day, approximately a 10-fold improvement over individual TLE’s propagated with their associated analytic propagator (SGP4). Corresponding improvements for debris trajectories could potentially provide conjunction analysis sufficiently accurate for an operationally viable collision avoidance system based on TLEs only.     

Orbit determination of BeiDou navigation satellite system maneuvered satellites based on instantaneous velocity pulses parameters

The BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS) comprises geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites as well as inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites. Owing to their special orbital characteristics, GEO satellites require frequent orbital maneuvers to ensure that they operate in a specific orbital window. The availability of the entire system is affected during the maneuver period because service cannot be provided before the ephemeris is restored. In this study, based on the conventional dynamic orbit determination method for navigation satellites, multiple sets of instantaneous velocity pulses parameters which belong to one of pseudo-stochastic parameters were used to simulate the orbital maneuver process in the orbital maneuver arc and establish the observed and predicted orbits of the maneuvered and non-maneuvered satellites of BeiDou regional navigation satellite system (BDS-2) and BeiDou global navigation satellite system (BDS-3). Finally, the single point positioning (SPP) technology was used to verify the accuracy of the observed and predicted orbits. The orbit determination accuracy of maneuvered satellites can be greatly improved by using the orbit determination method proposed in this paper. The overlapping orbit determination accuracy of maneuvered GEO satellites of BDS-2 and BDS-3 can improve 2–3 orders of magnitude. Among them, the radial orbit determination accuracy of each maneuvered satellite is basically better than 1 m. simultaneously, the combined orbit determination of the maneuvered and non-maneuvered satellites does not have a great impact on the orbit determination accuracy of the non-maneuvered satellites. Compared with the multi GNSS products (indicated by GBM) from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the impact of adding the maneuvered satellites on the orbit determination accuracy of BDS-2 satellites is less than 9 %. Furthermore, the orbital recovery time and the service availability period are significantly improved. When the node of the predicted orbit is traversed approximately 3 h after the maneuver, the accuracy of the predicted orbit of the maneuvered satellite can reach that of the observed orbit. The SPP results for the BDS reached a normal level when the node of the predicted orbit was 2 h after the maneuver.     

Analysis of the orbit lifetime of CubeSats in low Earth orbits including periodic variation in drag due to attitude motion

It is estimated that more than 22,300 human-made objects are in orbit around the Earth, with a total mass above 8,400,000 kg. Around 89% of these objects are non-operational and without control, which makes them to be considered orbital debris. These numbers consider only objects with dimensions larger than 10 cm. Besides those numbers, there are also about 2000 operational satellites in orbit nowadays. The space debris represents a hazard to operational satellites and to the space operations. A major concern is that this number is growing, due to new launches and particles generated by collisions. Another important point is that the development of CubeSats has increased exponentially in the last years, increasing the number of objects in space, mainly in the Low Earth Orbits (LEO). Due to the short operational time, CubeSats boost the debris population. One of the requirements for space debris mitigation in LEO is the limitation of the orbital lifetime of the satellites, which needs to be lower than 25 years. However, there are space debris with longer estimated decay time. In LEÓs, the influence of the atmospheric drag is the main orbital perturbation, and is used in maneuvers to increment the losses in the satellite orbital energy, to locate satellites in constellations and to accelerate the decay.The goal of the present research is to study the influence of aerodynamic rotational maneuver in the CubeSat?s orbital lifetime. The rotational axis is orthogonal to the orbital plane of the CubeSat, which generates variations in the ballistic coefficient along the trajectory. The maneuver is proposed to accelerate the decay and to mitigate orbital debris generated by non-operational CubeSats. The panel method is selected to determine the drag coefficient as a function of the flow incident angle and the spinning rate. The pressure distribution is integrated from the satellite faces at hypersonic rarefied flow to calculate the drag coefficient. The mathematical model considers the gravitational potential of the Earth and the deceleration due to drag. To analyze the effects of the rotation during the decay, multiple trajectories were propagated, comparing the results obtained assuming a constant drag coefficient with trajectories where the drag coefficient changes periodically. The initial perigees selected were lower than 400 km of altitude with eccentricities ranging from 0.00 to 0.02. Six values for the angular velocity were applied in the maneuver. The technique of rotating the spacecraft is an interesting solution to increase the orbit decay of a CubeSat without implementing additional de-orbit devices. Significant changes in the decay time are presented due to the increase of the mean drag coefficient calculated by the panel method, when the maneuver is applied, reducing the orbital lifetime, however the results are independent of the angular velocity of the satellite.     

Analysis of laser ranges and angular measurements data fusion for space debris orbit determination

In the framework of space debris, the orbit determination process is a fundamental step, both, for researchers and for satellite operators. The accurate knowledge of the orbit of space debris objects is needed to allow space debris characterization studies and to avoid unnecessary collision avoidance maneuvers.The accuracy of the results of an orbit determination process depends on several factors as the number, the accuracy, the kind of processed measurements, their distribution along the orbit, and the object-observer relative geometry. When the observation coverage of the target orbit is not homogeneous, the accuracy of the orbit determination can be improved processing different kind of observables. Recent studies showed that the satellite laser ranging technique can be successfully applied to space debris.In this paper, we will investigate the benefits of using laser ranges and angular measurements for the orbit determination process. We will analyze the influence of the number of used observations, of the covered arc of orbit, of each observable, and of the observation geometry on the estimated parameters. Finally, using data acquired on short observation arcs, we analyze the achievable accuracies for the orbital regimes with the highest space debris density, and to the consequences of the data fusion on catalog maintenance operations. The results shown are obtained using only real data (both angular and laser measurements) provided by sensors of the Swiss Optical Ground Station and Geodynamics Observatory Zimmerwald owned by the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) and for some studies also using ranges provided from other stations of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS).     

Characterization of the cataloged Fengyun-1C fragments and their long-term effect on the LEO environment

The intentional breakup of Fengyun-1C on 11 January 2007 created the most severe orbital debris cloud in history. The altitude where the event occurred was probably the worst location for a major breakup in the low Earth orbit (LEO) region, since it was already highly populated with operational satellites and debris generated from previous breakups. The addition of so many fragments not only poses a realistic threat to operational satellites in the region, but also increases the instability (i.e., collision cascade effect) of the debris population there.     

Assessment of the close approach frequency and collision probability for satellites in different configurations of large constellations

The Earth orbital environment is drastically changing due to an intensification of the space activities. In particular, several projects of large constellations, proposed for the next years for communications purpose like global internet access, Internet of Things, or for Earth observations, will lead to the deployment of several thousands of new satellites at an unprecedented rate. It is a crucial challenge for space traffic management, which will deal with a great number of satellite conjunctions, potentially causing a collision with damaging consequences for the constellation itself and the space environment sustainability.In this paper, we investigate the close approach frequency and the cumulative collision probability for each referenced constellation. For this purpose, we compute the orbital evolution of satellites in different constellations during the lifecycle, from the deployment to the decommissioning, and we apply the CUBE algorithm and the Foster method to assess the collision probability with the background space debris population assuming a constant uncertainty in position. We show the variation of risk defined by the close approach frequency and the cumulative collision probability as a function of the proposed configuration. In particular, satellites of the Iridium and Kuiper constellation, but also satellite of the Telesat constellation on polar orbits are the most exposed at a collision. Moreover, the decommissioning phase contribute for a major part to the final cumulative collision probability.     

An active debris removal parametric study for LEO environment remediation

Recent analyses on the instability of the orbital debris population in the low Earth orbit (LEO) region and the collision between Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 have reignited interest in using active debris removal (ADR) to remediate the environment. There are, however, monumental technical, resource, operational, legal, and political challenges in making economically viable ADR a reality. Before a consensus on the need for ADR can be reached, a careful analysis of its effectiveness must be conducted. The goal is to demonstrate the need and feasibility of using ADR to better preserve the future environment and to explore different operational options to maximize the benefit-to-cost ratio. This paper describes a new sensitivity study on using ADR to stabilize the future LEO debris environment. The NASA long-term orbital debris evolutionary model, LEGEND, is used to quantify the effects of several key parameters, including target selection criteria/constraints and the starting epoch of ADR implementation. Additional analyses on potential ADR targets among the existing satellites and the benefits of collision avoidance maneuvers are also included.