Earth based observations of the STS-11 space shuttle mission on orbit and during reentry

While much of what is known about the performance of spacecraft in flight is learned by monitoring telemetry data streams, this paper describes some unique observations made with ground-based astronomical equipment, done in conjunction with the tenth flight of the U.S. Space Shuttle. The study had two main objectives: to test the ability of low-cost, low-light-level television equipment to monitor satellites in orbit, and to attempt visual and photographic observation of the reentry characteristics of a Space Shuttle Orbiter. Both efforts met with considerable success and are described herein.     

LARES successfully launched in orbit: Satellite and mission description

On February 13th 2012, the LARES satellite of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) was launched into orbit with the qualification flight of the new VEGA launcher of the European Space Agency (ESA). The payload was released very accurately in the nominal orbit. The name LARES means LAser RElativity Satellite and summarises the objective of the mission and some characteristics of the satellite. It is, in fact, a mission designed to test Einstein's General Relativity Theory (specifically ‘frame-dragging' and Lense-Thirring effect). The satellite is passive and covered with optical retroreflectors that send back laser pulses to the emitting ground station. This allows accurate positioning of the satellite, which is important for measuring the very small deviations from Galilei–Newton's laws. In 2008, ASI selected the prime industrial contractor for the LARES system with a heavy involvement of the universities in all phases of the programme, from the design to the construction and testing of the satellite and separation system. The data exploitation phase started immediately after the launch under a new contract between ASI and those universities. Tracking of the satellite is provided by the International Laser Ranging Service. Due to its particular design, LARES is the orbiting object with the highest known mean density in the solar system. In this paper, it is shown that this peculiarity makes it the best proof particle ever manufactured. Design aspects, mission objectives and preliminary data analysis will be also presented.     

Innovations in mission architectures for exploration beyond low Earth orbit

Through the application of advanced technologies and mission concepts, architectures for missions beyond Earth orbit have been dramatically simplified. These concepts enable a stepping stone approach to science driven; technology enabled human and robotic exploration. Numbers and masses of vehicles required are greatly reduced, yet the pursuit of a broader range of science objectives is enabled. The scope of human missions considered range from the assembly and maintenance of large aperture telescopes for emplacement at the Sun-Earth libration point L2, to human missions to asteroids, the moon and Mars. The vehicle designs are developed for proof of concept, to validate mission approaches and understand the value of new technologies. The stepping stone approach employs an incremental buildup of capabilities, which allows for future decision points on exploration objectives. It enables testing of technologies to achieve greater reliability and understanding of costs for the next steps in exploration.     

Post-aerocapture orbit selection and maintenance for the Aerofast mission to Mars

Aerofast is the abbreviation of “aerocapture for future space transportation” and represents a project aimed at developing aerocapture techniques with regard to an interplanetary mission to Mars, in the context of the 7th Framework Program, with the financial support of the European Union. This paper describes the fundamental characteristics of the operational orbit after aerocapture for the mission of interest, as well as the related maintenance strategy. The final orbit selection depends on the desired lighting conditions, maximum revisit time of specific target regions, and feasibility of the orbit maintenance strategy. A sunsynchronous, frozen, repeating-ground-track orbit is chosen. First, the period of repetition is such that adjacent ascending node crossings (over the Mars surface) have a separation compatible with the swath of the optical payload. Secondly, the sunsynchronism condition ensures that a given latitude is periodically visited at the same local time, which condition is essential for comparing images of the same region at different epochs. Lastly, the fulfillment of the frozen condition guarantees improved orbit stability with respect to perturbations due to the zonal harmonics of Mars gravitational field. These three fundamental features of the operational orbit lead to determining its mean orbital elements. The evaluation of short and long period effects (e.g., those due to the sectorial harmonics of the gravitational field or to the aerodynamic drag) requires the determination of the osculating orbital elements at an initial reference time. This research describes a simple and accurate approach that leads to numerically determining these initial values, without employing complicated analytical developments. Numerical simulations demonstrate the long-period stability of the orbit when a significant number of harmonics of the gravitational field are taken into account. However, aerodynamic drag produces a relatively slow orbital decay at the altitudes considered for the mission. This circumstance implies the progressive loss of the sunsynchronism condition, and therefore corrective maneuvers are to be performed. This work proves that actually only in-plane maneuvers are necessary, evaluates the overall delta-v budget needed in the period of repetition (85 Martian nodal days), and proposes a simple maintenance strategy, making reference to the worst-case scenario, which corresponds to the highest seasonal values of the atmospheric density and to the maximum value of the ballistic coefficient of the spacecraft.     

SLUCUBE: Innovative high performance nanosatellite science and technology demonstration mission

The Space Systems Research Laboratory (SSRL) at Saint Louis University is developing SLUCUBE nanosatellite as part of the space mission design program. The objective of the mission is to demonstrate space capability of high performance nanosatellite components that has been developed at SSRL for the past three years. The objective of the program is to provide extremely low-cost and rapid access to space for scientists and commercial exploitation using commercial-off-the-shelf components. SLUCUBE is a double CubeSat with dimensions 10×10×20 cm and a mass of 2 kg. This nanosatellite features suite of technology demonstration components to enlarge the capability of space mission for such class of spacecrafts. The primary mission of SLUCUBE is to test and demonstrate several enabling technologies by flying a number of university developed high performance components. This paper describes the new developed technologies by providing details of specific components developed along with the R&D efforts and laboratory facilities. A brief discussion about the student involvement and educational benefits will also be presented.     

大型GEO通信卫星平台转移轨道段热分析

为了增强大型高价值卫星的抗风险能力,针对极端温度环境以及相较一般发射工作程序有所偏离的情况,进行转移轨道卫星平台的热性能分析。对抛整流罩、星箭分离、出地影、南板受照、北板受照5个典型状态下的卫星平台进行热分析,结果显示：卫星平台本体的温度包络为51.68～-16.35 ℃,未超出一般要求,表明卫星平台的热性能有一定保持能力,但平台本体温度与热控要求间的裕度仅3.3～3.6 ℃,须予以关注;同时,采用3D舱板的有限元分析方法揭示出服务舱板厚度方向热梯度在出地影时刻最大值达5 ℃,对结构精度和机构运动性能或带来潜在风险。     

基于任务规划的有限推力燃料最优交会

给出了空间交会冲量机动任务规划及基于该任务规划的有限推力燃料最优交会算法。首先,以双冲量空间交会作为问题的初步模型,采用Battin-Vaughan算法对追踪器初始位置和飞行时间的组合进行遍历计算,通过分析特征速度等值线图,进行空间交会的任务规划,为有限推力燃料最优交会提供重要的初值条件。基于任务规划分析,建立了有限推力燃料最优交会的最优控制模型,根据庞特里亚金极值原理将最优控制问题转化为两点边值问题,采用共轭梯度算法进行数值求解。在变轨时间固定、连续变推力的情况下,以总冲最小、满足终端位置和速度约束为指标,对推力大小和方向进行优化。通过数值仿真,得到了一些重要的结论,为工程应用提供了一定参考价值。     

基于多阶段决策的侦察卫星任务规划研究

为解决侦察卫星任务规划中合理分配任务和避免信息传输冲突的问题,建立了基于多阶段决策的侦察卫星任务规划模型,包括任务分配模型和传输调度模型,并根据运筹学的基本原理,给出了求解模型的基本方法,从求解结果来看,该模型具有一定的理论与应用价值。     

某平台卫星发射及在轨力学环境测量与分析

为获取航天器准确的发射及在轨力学环境数据,设计了一套具有数据采集、存储和传输功能的星载测量系统。利用该系统对某大型平台卫星发射飞行过程进行了测量,获取了星箭界面及卫星结构典型位置在发射主动段的正弦振动响应、随机振动响应、冲击响应及在轨微振动的环境数据。将测量数据与星箭载荷耦合分析结果、地面力学试验结果进行了详细对比,结果表明:星箭载荷耦合分析的结果在星箭界面处横向相对准确,而纵向在有限频段准确,其他频段及星上分析结果均大于测量结果,即存在极大裕度;地面试验结果大于测量结果,意味着有较大的裁剪设计空间。测量数据对后续卫星模型修正、试验条件设计、相似平台卫星抗力学环境优化、部组件设计等均具有重要的参考价值。     

基于一体化平台的导航对抗系统

卫星导航在军事领域的运用越来越广泛,导航对抗是一体化战场信息对抗系统的重要内容。分析了一体化信息对抗平台的构建,包括硬件平台构建、软件体系架构设计等方面,并在此基础上研究了导航对抗的软件化设计,通过与平台的集成设计,实现了快速导航对抗功能。     

地球同步轨道卫星多阶段任务可靠性建模

在分析地球同步轨道卫星首次变轨任务剖面的基础上,以模块化的思路进行卫星多阶段任务系统(phased-mission systems,PMS)建模,采用基于二元决策图(binary decision diagram,BDD)的静态多阶段任务可靠性分析方法和基于马尔可夫模型的动态多阶段任务分析方法来计算地球同步轨道卫星转移轨道段首次变轨的可靠性。经与传统非任务剖面可靠性分析方法的计算结果比对可知,基于任务剖面的可靠性建模分析方法可得到较为真实和精细的结果,有助于卫星的轻量化设计和研制效益提高。     

基于环境工质的超低轨吸气式螺旋波电推进器仿真分析

为考察超低轨道高度环境下吸气式螺旋波电推进的可行性,基于180 km超低轨道高度环境工质,开展吸气式螺旋波电推进器的仿真模拟。进行以原子氧为工质,综合考虑碰撞、激发、电离等过程,通过13.56 MHz射频加热,由磁喷口完成推力输出全流程的仿真模拟。建立特定形态吸气式螺旋波电推进结构模型,结合不同功率的输入,分析功率沉积、等离子体参数分布和推力输出。结果表明,输入功率从200 W增加至2000 W的过程中,推力从6.00 mN增加至13.23 mN,能够满足0.226 mN的阻力补偿要求,可为超低轨吸气式电推进航天器设计提供参考。     

A bistatic SAR mission for earth observation based on a small satellite

The authors present a new scientific space mission consisting of a satellite carrying a receiving- only SAR which receives the signal transmitted by the ENVISAT-1 SAR. The integration of ENVISAT-1 SAR and bistatic radar data offers an improved potentiality of surface classification, three-dimensional observation, and the opportunity of advanced scientific experiments in the field of bistatic scattering. The small satellite nominal orbit and the attitude manoeuvres are designed in order to maintain an adequate overlap between the two radar swaths along the whole orbit, taking into account the ENVISAT-1 attitude and pointing. A preliminary satellite design (2-year lifetime) is then performed to evaluate the orbit decay and to determine the appropriate orbit manoeuvres (every 4 days) to control the satellites relative phase. The numerical simulation shows that a spacecraft of about 584kg is able to meet the mission requirements.     

天基海量电磁数据深度处理服务平台

当前电子侦察数据呈现爆炸式增长,如何挖掘电子侦察的潜力,提升应用效能是当前电子侦察技术研究面临的关键问题.海量电磁数据深度处理平台以大数据技术为手段,利用云存储、云计算构建海量电磁数据的大数据深度处理框架,通过数据抽取、知识图谱构建、数据规律挖掘等关键技术,实现基于电磁信息的战场目标状态与意图预测,可有效提高电子侦察在现代信息作战中的重要性,提升电磁情报对战略、战役、战术的支援能力.     

基于星间无线电测距的卫星自主定轨与导航

提出了在空间数据链中基于星载无线电测距实现低轨卫星的自主定轨方法。通过星上天线发送和接收网内其他卫星的通信数据，从中获取相互间的距离信息，应用推广Kalman算法确定卫星的位置和速度，实现卫星间的互相定位。以铱系统为背景，针对所提出的两种不同组网方式进行了具体的仿真，并与GPS定轨相比较，得出了几点结论。     

基于ZYNQ平台的嵌入式高性能驱动控制研究

针对传统的光电平台驱动控制方案闭环周期长和体积大的问题,提出了一种基于ZYNQ平台的驱动控制方法。通过采用模块化设计思想,充分发挥ZYNQ中PL部分的并行处理优势,建立对应CLARK变化、PARK变换、交直轴电流PI校正、反PARK变换和SVPWM模块的IP核,最终输出PWM信号控制驱动桥六个桥臂的开关状态。系统的PWM周期可达18 kHz,电流环的闭环周期可控制在50μs以内,极大地缩减了系统的闭环时间。实验结果表明,电交轴电流可以快速跟随方波和正弦波指令信号,且对应电机的三相电流平滑无畸变,纹波较小。不同频率的正弦输入信号证明了系统的闭环带宽可高于318 Hz,验证了方法的有效性,对于实现小型化高精度的伺服驱动控制具有重要参考价值。     

基于小卫星平台的空天支援突防技术

目前国外各类导弹防御(MD)系统正通过信息融合、资源共享、组网工作等方式朝着一体化防御方向发展,仅仅依靠导弹自身携带的电子干扰设备,存在技术突防手段单一的问题.提出一种基于小卫星平台的空天支援突防技术,通过多站组网工作,可以在弹道导弹突防过程中提供全程支援式干扰,配合导弹携带的突防干扰设备,实现多平台、多于扰技术的协同作战体系,有效增加导弹的突防能力.     

Formation design in elliptical orbit using relative orbit elements

A new set of relative orbit elements is strictly defined through spherical geometry. The exact transformation equations between the new relative orbit elements and classical-orbital elements are derived. A new relative motion model with no singularity problem is derived based on the relative orbit elements, which are suitable for both elliptical and circular reference orbits. The in-plane and out-of-plane relative motion can be completely decoupled based on the new model. The inverse transformation of state transfer matrix is obtained to analyze perturbation effects and control strategy. The geometric characteristics of relative motion can be easily described using the relative eccentricity/inclination vector method. The proposed method and conclusions are validated by simulation through some typical examples. This paper improves the basic theory of relative orbit elements and unifies the expressions of the elliptical and near-circular close relative motion.