Perturbation effect of the Coulomb drag on the orbital elements of the earth satellite moving in the ionosphere

The perturbation effects of the Coulomb drag on the orbital elements of the earth satellite moving in the ionosphere are studied. The theoretical results show that the Coulomb drag results in both the secular and periodic variation in the semi-major axis and eccentricity. However, the argument of the perigee exhibits no secular variation, but only periodic variation. The inclination and the ascending node remain no variation. As an example, the secular effects of the Coulomb drag on the semi-major axis and the eccentricity of an ionosphere satellite Alouette (S-27) are calculated in the ionosphere with the mean height 1000 km. It can be shown that the semi-major axis contracts and the eccentricity decreases for the case of the Coulomb drag under the interaction of the ions with the electric field of an earth satellite.     

卫星电子设备振动试验用超高基频夹具设计

卫星电子设备振动试验用夹具作为固定试件和传递激励信号的重要部件,应具备高刚度和高基频的特性。文章提出卫星电子设备振动试验夹具的设计指标,包括对基频和横向振动响应的要求。通过结构优化,设计了一种轻质平板型夹具。振动试验验证结果表明,该夹具基频在2000 Hz以上,横向振动响应小于10%,达到了卫星电子设备振动试验夹具的设计要求。     

Design of satellite constellations with continuous coverage on elliptic orbits of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Molniya</Emphasis> type

New methods of choosing the structures of satellite constellations (SC) on elliptical orbits of the Molniya type are presented. The methods, using critical inclination and putting the orbit apogee in the Earth’s hemisphere with an area of continuous coverage, are based on geometrical analysis of two-dimensional representation of the coverage conditions and SC motion in the space of inertial longitude of the orbit ascending node and time. The coverage conditions are represented in the form of a certain region. Dynamics of all satellites in this space is represented by uniform motion along a straight line approximately parallel to the ordinate axis, while the satellite system forms a grid. The problem of choosing a minimal (as far as the number of satellites is concerned) SC configuration can be formulated as a search for the most sparse grid. The contemporary advanced methods of computational geometry serve as an algorithmic basis for the problem solution. Design of SC for continuous coverage of latitude belts with the use of kinematically regular systems is considered. A method of analyzing single-track systems for continuous coverage of arbitrary geographic regions is described, which makes a region at any time instant observable by at least one satellite of the system. As an example, SC on elliptical orbits are considered with periods of ～4, 12, and 24 hours.     

Realization of modes of satellite attitude motion with a small level of microaccelerations using electromechanical executive devices

Quasi-static microaccelerations are estimated for a satellite specially designed to perform space experiments in the field of microgravity. Three modes of attitude motion of the spacecraft are considered: passive gravitational orientation, orbital orientation, and semi-passive gravitational orientation. In these modes the lengthwise axis of the satellite is directed along the local vertical, while solar arrays lie in the orbit plane. The second and third modes are maintained using electromechanical executive devices: flywheel engines or gyrodynes. Estimations of residual microaccelerations are performed with the help of mathematical modeling of satellite’s attitude motion under the action of gravitational and aerodynamic moments, as well as the moment produced by the gyro system. It is demonstrated that all modes ensure rather low level of quasi-static microaccelerations on the satellite and provide for a fairly narrow region of variation for the vector of residual microacceleration. The semi-passive gravitational orientation ensures also a limited proper angular momentum of the gyro system.